THE CAPUCIN TREATED, OR, The lives of the Capucins, with the life of S. FRANCIS their Patron.  
Wherein is described, and examined the Original of the Capucins, their Vows, Rules, and Discipline's.  
Written Originally in French by the exquisite pen of that incomparably learned, and Pious Divine, Mr. Peter du Moulin, And Englished By Philanax Orthodoxus.  1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily exercise profiteth little, but Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 
London, Printed for Henry Marsh, at the Prince's Arms in Chancery-lane. 1665.   

To the truly virtuous (and therefore truly noble) Lady, the Lady Catherine Colleton.  
MADAM.  
IF our labours ought to be dedicated to those persons to whom we are most obliged, than I am sure, I am not mistaken in addressing this small translation to your Ladyship. And consequently I had been guilty of injustice had I addressed it elsewhere. Besides, had I let slip so fair an opportunity of publishing to the world my thankfulness for the many and great favours you have been pleased to confer on me, I had been guilty of ingratitude: which is so odious a vice, that certainly, it is inexcusable in a Christian. For the very Heathens by the light of nature have discovered so much of its ugliness, that the ancient Persians were wont to say, If you call a man an ungrateful person, you call him every thing that implies baseness, and unworthiness. But Madam, I know well enough, that the highest pitch of gratitude I am capable of, bears no proportion with the greatness of your favours: but I know withal, that where nothing else is to be had, your Ladyship will accept it instead of good payment; a mite or a talon being all one to you, whose goodness, regards not the quantity, or quality of a present, but the intention of the person that presents it. Wherefore this trifle dares promise itself a gracious reception from your Ladyship, which favour if you shall be pleased to vouchsafe it, it needs not care what entertainment it finds from others. I shall use no other argument to invite your Ladyship to the perusal of it, than to tell you that the variety of its pleasing divertisements, may prove a good bulwark against the assaults of (your old enemy) melancholy: and if it does you that good service, I shall think my pains in translating it very happily bestowed. I cannot conclude without paying my grateful acknowledgements to the worthy Gentleman your Husband, and to the hopeful young Gentlemen your Sons, for the many undeserved civilities I have received from them: But they must give me leave to acknowledge my Obligations to your Ladyship in particular, and therefore to style myself more particularly  
MADAM, Your thankful, and humble servant. P. O.   

The Translator to the Reader.  
EXperience tells us that example prevails more than precept. And if so, than we may conclude that the mock-sanctity of the Capucins (who for strictness of Life carry away the Bell from all the other Orders of the Romish Church) hath gained many a proselyte. But I dare promise (by the help of God) that no person shall be seduced by these Impostors, who will but take the pains to peruse this small treatise. For it plainly shows that their holiness chiefly consists in absurd and extravagant actions, which render them more like Bedlams, and Jack-puddings, than Saints. And as for St Francis their Patron, who is so much cried up by the Romanists for his eminence in sanctity, that they place him in Heaven amongst the Seraphins; and some do so blasphemously compare him with Christ, that they say, it is questionable whether of the two was the typical Jesus; and Tursellinus saith of him,  
Francis that was, shall now be Christ to thee;  
And Christ that was, St. Francis now shall be.  
I say, this grand Saint is here proved to be a grand Cheat, and in effect nothing else but an ignorant, superstitious, ridiculous Enthusiast. But I shall not forestall the curiosity of the Reader, only I shall say in commendation of the book, that it will please his humour if he be but ingenious.   

The Author's Preface.  
Some new guests being come to this Town, who are rare examples of modesty, and sincerity, common civility requires that we should present them with something, which may prove useful and serviceable to them. Now I cannot think of a fit present for persons of a sublime profession, and extraordinary sanctity, then to present them with a description of their Otiginal, and the continuation, and progress of their virtues. For although Father Joseph in his book against my Three Sermons calls me Fool, Cheat, and an Impostor, yet the Rule of Charity requires us to render good for evil. Besides we must not judge of persons by one single action: neither must we, under pretence that this Reverend Father hath his fits of passions, conceal his virtues; Especially, that Capucin-like goodness of his, when in his Sermon at the gallows, to comfort a whore who was to be executed, he calls her sister; and why might not he call whores his sisters, seeing venerable Francis, the Patron of the Capucins, called the Magpies, Grasshoppers, and Swallows his sisters? With the like Prudence he exhorts this poor condemned person, whose name was Margaret, to recommend her Soul to St. Margaret, which is a Sa●●t that never was in the world, and is placed in heaven without having ever been upon earth. After which proofs of his rare wit, he condemns us all to hell, to keep him company. Wherefore he will not be offended, I suppose, if in acknowledgement of so charitable an office, I address to him this small treatise, wherein he will see the Original of his Order, and the illustrious actions of the Capucins, whose perfection the Apostles could not attain unto. The Reader will here find very pleasant extravagances and Follies more then enough to make a Saint of (the word Saint having changed its signification in this blessed age:) For now a days if a man would attain unto a Seraphic, and supereminent sanctity, he must first be out of his wits.  
The ensuing Narrative would afford sufficient subject for laughter, did it not afford much more subject for sorrow an● compassion. For a man cannot see, without great grief, the Christian Religion quite disfigured, and poor people fed with empty shows in stead of true and holy doctrines.  
The God of mercy take pity on so many poor people so grossly abused; and stir up his zeal, and wont compassions to deliver so many Souls ensnared by a counterfeit holiness: to whom the holy Scriptures are a book altogether unknown, and sealed with more than seven seals.  
My design in this treatise is not to offend these Fathers, but to instruct them, and to show them how far distant they are from true holiness, also to demonstrate to them that in aspiring to a degree of glory above Abraham, Moses, and other such petty Saints, who never did works of supererogation, they take the course to come behind the meanest: and that some crimes are more tolerable than their sanctity. The Lord open their eyes that they may see it is a dangerous thing to mock him, and that they have to do with a terrible Judge, who cannot be deceived, who searcheth the heart, and from whom nothing is hid.   

A Table of the Chapters.  

OF the Monastic profession in general. Chap. 1.  
Of the begging Friars, and their vows: and of the difference betwixt them and the Jesuits. Chap. 2.  
Of the excellence, and prerogatives of each Order of the begging Friars. Chap. 3.  
Of the words Minor, and Minime; and of the observation of the whole Rule. Chap. 4.  
Of the austerity, and disciplines of the Capucins; and first of their habit. Chap. 5.  
Divers austerities and observations of the Capucins, as well those to which they are obliged by their Rule, and by the Constitutions of their Order, as those to which they oblige themselves by voluntary devotion. Chap. 6.  
Of the whip of the Capucins. Chap. 7.  
Of the penances of the Capucins. Chap. 8.  
Some extravagant actions in which the Capucins place holiness. Chap. 9  
Of the names which the Capucins take at their entrance into this profession. Chap. 10  
Of the form of making their vow. Chap. 11.  
Some observations upon this vow. Chap. 12.  
The impiety of the Superiors answer. Chap. 13.  
That corporal austerities, and whipping, and tormenting of the body are not marks of holiness. Chap. 14.  
That the austerities, and humilities of the Capucins are full of hypocrisy. Chap. 15.  
Of the pleasant process betwixt the Capucins, and the Recollects about the tip of their hoods. Also of Masses in green, red, and violet. Chap 16,  
By what means St. Francis obtained of Pope Innocent III. the approbation of his Rule. Chap. 17.  
Of the humility, and incomparable patience of St. Francis, and of his most notable actions. Chap. 18.  
The great reward which St. Francis received for his humility. And of his marks. Chap. 19  
That under the Cloak of humility St. Francis hide an unparallelled pride. Chap. 20  
The Laws, and ordinances contained in Saint Francis his Rule. Chap. 21.  
That the holy Scripture is falsified, and wrested in St. Francis' Rule. Chap. 22.  
Of poverty, and riches. Chap. 23.  
Of the vow of poverty, and of idle begging, and of works and satisfactions of supererogation. Chap. 24.  
Of the fraternity of the Cord. An extract of a book entitled The Treasure of the Indulgences of St. Francis 's Cord, translated out of Italian into French. Also of the Canonization of St. Francis, and Ignatius de Loyola. Chap. 25.    

THE CAPUCIN TREATED, OR, The Lives of the CAPUCINS, with the Life of St. FRANCIS their Patron, etc.  

CHAP. I. Of the Monastique profession in general.  
THe Monks do generally profess works of Supererogation, that is, to do more good works, and more perfect, than those which God commands in his Law; that is, they profess to do works more excellent then to love, and serve God with all their heart, and with all their strength; for it is that which God commands in his Law. Therefore they serve God with more than all their strength; they are more virtuous than God would have them to be. Moreover they would make us believe, that by their profession of austerity, and severe Discipline, they do more satisfactory works, and suffer more punishment than their sins deserve, and that the overplus serves for others. For the Pope gathers this overplus into the Church-treasury, and distributes it to people by his indulgences.  
By these works of supererogation the Monks pretend to attain unto a supereminent degree of celestial glory, far above those small Saints who contented themselves to fulfil the Law of God, without doing any more. This degree of glory is called by the Doctors Aureola. To which degree Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, David, etc. have not attained; for they never did works of supererogation.   

CHAP. II. Of the begging Friars, and their vows; and of the difference twixt them, and the Jesuits.  
THere are four sorts of begging Friars, viz. the Minors (called in France Cord●liers) the Preachers (who are also calle● Jacobins, and Dominicans) the Carmelites, and the Augustine's. They bind themselves by vow to three things. They vow poverty, so that they possess nothing in particular, although they abound in common. Also they vow never to marry This they call the vow of Chastity, as if there could be no chastity in a married estate. The third vow, is the vow of obedience, whereby they do not only oblige themselves to keep the Laws of God, but most exactly to observe the Rule of that Saint who is their Patron, and the Constitutions of their Order, and to obey the commands of the Guardian, or Superior of their Convent, and to obey the General of their Order, and above all the Pope.  
The Jesuits beg not, 
Ribaden ex vitâ Ignatis, l●●. 3.  and reject the austerities of the Minors, and will not be called Monks. They are well shod, warmly clad, and lie on good beds. And they that are called Fathers (who are the chief of their College) have their Table furnished with the choicest meats. They labour with very great industry to gather wealth, although Ignatius Loyola, their Founder, did beg. They vow never to marry. But their chief vow, and which they observe most strictly, is the vow of blind obedience, whereby they are obliged to obey their Superior in all that is commanded, without enquiring whether the thing be good, or evil: for they will always have it presupposed that the thing is good. This obedience hath cost many Kings and Princes their lives, particularly, that excellent Prince William of Nassaw, Prince of Orange, Grandfathet to the Duke of Bovillon who was killed at Delft by Balthasar Gerard of the Frank County, excited thereunto by the Jesuits of Treves. His process and examination are to be seen at Delft in Holland.  
They say indeed, that we must do nothing contrary to the commands of God; but they permit not those who are commanded by the Superior, to examine whether his command be conformable to the commands of God. For (as Pope Julius the third, in the Bull which Ribadenera inserts in the life of Ignatius, saith) Christum in Praeposito praesentem agnoscunt. They acknowledge Jesus Christ to be present in the person of the Superior.  
The Capucins are more moderate; for they oblige themselves to obey their Superior in all things except sin. For example; if the Superior should command a Capucin to plant Coleworts with the leaves downward, and the root upward, or to lick up the spittle of another Capucin, or to plant a straw, a●d to water it until it grows, the Monk is bound to obey these commands, such actions being most proper to try the obedience of the Minors.   

CHAP. III. Of the excellence, and prerogatives of each Order of the begging Friars.  
EAch Order of the begging Monks hath some privileges and Prerogatives to render it recommendable. The Carmelites have this privilege above the other Orders, that they remain in Purgatory but until the next Saturday after their death.  
St. Antonin, who hath written the life of St. Dominick, the Patron of the Preaching Friars, tells us, that St. Dominick, being once in a trance, saw the heavens opened, and a multitude of Monks in celestial glory, but saw not one of his own Order amongst them, whereupon this blessed Saint wept bitterly. But Jesus Christ comforted him, by showing him a multitude of Jacobin Friars that were hid under the Virgin Maries kirtle.  
Not one of any other Order ever had this honour. It is observable that this Antonin, Archbishop of Florence, was Canonised by Pope Clement the 7th. An. Dom. 1523. and that in the Bull of Canonization the said Pope approves of, and authorizeth the doctrine of this Antonin, and gives great Indulgences to those who shall visit his relics. The same is recited by Theodorick in the life of St. Dominick, as Surius reports.  
But the Minors surpass all the other Orders in the greatness of their Indulgences, granted by the Popes to St. Francis' Order. Read a book entitled, The treasure o● the Indulgences of St. Francis 's Cord, 
Printed at Roven by Tho. Dare in the Jew's street, near the Palace, 1614  and you shall find these words in p. 119. Item, every day until the nativity of our Lady, there is eight hundred sixty five thousand, and one hundred sixty two years, and one hundred days of indulgence, and a remission of the third part of sins, granted to divers Churches. The Jesuits laugh at this, and care not to obtain of he Pope such Indulgences.  

This may be seen in the book of the Indulgences of the fraternity of the Cord, printed at Paris by John le Bouc at St. Hillarys Mount.  Pope Sixtus 5. Anno. 1586. on May 7, granted to those of the fraternity of St. Francis' Cord, who shall say five Pater nosters, & as many Ave Maries, on Palm-Saturday, and on the feast of St. John the Evangelist, and that before Porta Latina, the pardon of all their sins, and power to free one soul out Purgatory. And these privileges are confirmed by the letters Patents of the same Pope, dated at St. Marks. Aug. 9 1587.  
But the most memorable Indulgence is that which (as the Rosary of Bernardin saith) St. Francis obtained for the Church of Sancta Maria Angelorum, 
Francis was born in this City, which is in the Duchy of Spoleta.  called Portiancula in the City of Assize (viz.) that all they who shall go into that Church shall receive the remission of all their sins. However, Jesus Christ would not grant this to St. Francis, but on condition that he should get a confirmation of this Indulgence from the Pope. 
Antonin. in vita Dominici c. 1. sect. 1. Statum regularem sub Didaco Episcopo apprehendit ut alterum baptismum Th. 2. 2 q. ult. art. 3. & in 4. sent. dist. 4. q. 3. art 3. sect. ad tertium. Bell. lib. de Monachis. c. 8. sect. denique Eman. Sa. Aphor. in verb. Religio sex alae. eorum sunt s●x perfectiones qui bus ornatus suit beatus Franciscus.   
This also is one of the prerogatives of St. Francis' Order, and of St. Dominicks Order, that the habit of St. Francis, or St. Dominick is as good as a second Baptism, and that by virtue of this habit all our sins past are canceled. And this is the reason why many Princes and persons of quality on their deathbeds have been clad in the habit of a Cordelier, or Capucin, that their sins may be pardoned.  
Of all the Patrons of the Monastique Orders no one is exalted to so high a degree of celestial glory as St. Francis; (for he is placed in the highest degree of Angelical glory.) The Church of Rome makes nine Orders of Angels differing in glory. The highest Order is that of the Seraphins. The second is the Order of the Cherubins, etc. But St. Francis is placed in the Order of the Seraphins, above the Cherubins, as St. Antonin tells us in the life of St. Francis, in the first Chapter, where he saith, that those words of the 18. Psalms, He road upon the Cherubins, and did fly upon the wings of the winds, are spoken not only of Jesus Christ, but may also be applied to St. Francis, who is exalted above the Cherubins. And in the same Chapter, he saith, that the Six wings of the Seraphins are the Six perfections wherewith St. Francis was adorned. In this high degree of Glory, he sees eight Classes of Angels, and all the Saints, far beneath himself.  
St. Bonaventure, a General of St. Francis' Order, and a Cardinal, saith the like, as I shall show you hereafter.  

De Verborum signif. in b. Aliud mite Cor, et docile, terra bona suscepit, hoc est fratrum Minorum religio.  Pope Nicolas 3. in the Decretal Exiit qui Seminat saith, that when Jesus Christ speaks of the fourth prrt of the seed which fell on good ground, by this good fourth part is meant the Religion of the Minors.  
In the same place, this Pope, commending the poverty and perfection of St. Francis, observes he had no bag, and that he finds not those actions of infirmity which were in Jesus Christ, 
Christus egit etiam infima, sicut interdum ut in sugae paetet, & in loculis.  who had two actions of infirmity (viz.) he had a bag, and he fled. In these two things Holy Francis surmounted Jesus Christ.   

CHAp. iv Of the words Minor and Minime; and of the observation of the whole Rule.  
THe Monks of St. Francis' Order are called Minors, that is to say, Less than others, in token of Humility. But there is sprung up another Order of Monks, whereof St. Francis of Paula, a Portuguese, is Patron, and Author. This Saint lived in the time of Lewis 11. who died Anno Domini 1483. The Monks of this Order not thinking it humility enough to be called Minors, call themselves Minims', that is to say Lest of all. The Life of these Monks is altogether Quadragesimal, that is a continual Lent; By virtue of this title they pretend a right to begging, because Jesus Christ in the 10. of Matthew saith, Whosoever shall give to drink to one of the least of these, or to one of these Minims, a cup of cold water only, shall not lose his reward. However, this hinders them not from receiving an alms of wine, although Jesus Christ speaks of cold water only.  
It is observable, that in the Mass of th● said St. Francis of Paula, which is celebrated on the second of April, the Priest reads aloud this verse of the Gospel: Quo● uni ex Minimis fecistis, mihi fecistis. Alleluja. What you have done to one of these Minims, you have done it to me. For the presuppose that Jesus Christ will speak o● them in the day of the general Judgement This Mass, which is peculiar to the Order of the Minims, they have caused to b● printed.  
But to return to the Friar's Minors, ther● are divers sorts of them (viz) the Obse●vantines, the Recollects, the Capucins, &c There was a time when the Cordeliers onel● were in request; but afterward these Cordeliers giving themselves liberty in dive●● things, and dispencing with themselves fro● the entire observation of St. Francis' Rule and of divers constitutions of the Order the Capucins sprung up, who now a day● have the esteem and admiration of the people, professing to observe the Rule entirely although they do it not. For the Rule 〈◊〉 St. Francis commands the Friar's Minors 〈◊〉 labour with their hands, which command th● Capucins observe not.   

CHAP. V Of the Austerity, and Discipline of the Capucins: and first of their habits.  
THe Capucins go barefoot, and barelegged, only they wear Sandals, or Apostolical shoes, which are nothing else but soles of shoes so tied over the feet that the feet appear. They wear only a Gown and a sharp pointed hood: the other sorts of Friar's Minors wear a round hood in form of a Child's biggin.  
They wear no shirt s, only they have drawers, which they let down when they whip themselves. To wear two garments, or to have stockings, and shoes, or to be girt with a leather girdle, and not with a cord, is counted a mortal sin. And yet the Legends of St. Francis, written by St. Bonaventure, St. Antonine, 
Bonaven. apud Surium pag. 34. Antonin, pag. 722  and Jacobus de Voragine, say that St. Francis did sometimes wear stockings and shoes, and was girt with a leather girdle.  
In this Cord the Capucins knit great knots for an Ornament. All this is done in humility, and there is great merit in it.  
They never put off their Garments except it be to take the vermin out of them, or to patch them. Yea they will in humility put patches on a new garment. Their garment consists of three pieces, in honour of the Trinity: To be clad in the habit does a● much good as Baptism: I have seen in the houses of Princes, and Gentlemen of quality, little Children of six or seven years old clad in Capucins habit. Mother's do this, to imprint on their children's hearts a love and reverence to the Order of St. Francis. If a Capucin should die without his Cord, he would be esteemed to have died without St. Francis' habit, and an evil censure would be passed upon him.   

CHAP. VI Divers austerities, and observations of the Capucins, as well those to which they are obliged by their Rule, and by the Constitutions of their Order, as those to which they oblige themselves by voluntary devotion.  
BY the constitutions of the Minor Friars, to ride on horseback, except in case of sickness, or urgent necessity, is a mortal sin; although St. Francis did often ride upon an Ass.  
It is also a mortal sin for a Monk to have in particular, and without the Superiors knowledge, any thing worth above thirty pence: and if he should die without revealing it to the Superior, he is deprived of Ecclesiastical burial. You may see this in the Declarations of the Rule.  
They are not permitted to be Godfathers, nor to present a child to baptism: this they account scandalous, and St. Francis' Rule forbids it.  
It is an ordinary custom among the Capucins, to send to women in travel, little pieces of St. Francis' wood, or to cause them to swallow the powder of it in some holy water, to facilitate their delivery. This St. Francis' wood is the wood of a great Oak, which was once the staff which he used when he walked abroad. This staff (out of reverence) he would not carry into the Church, but pitching it into the ground at the Church-door it took root, and became a great tree.  
In the Choir of the Capucin's Churches there stands a vessel full of sand, or lime, into which they spit. Divers Capucins who have left the Order, and have been eye-witnesses, do assure me that they have seen some Capucins lick up the spittle which (through heedlessness) hath fallen beside the vessel, and in mortification to swallow it. This is accounted a great virtue. They have also seen the Superior command some Monks to lick up the spittle of the rest, in humility, and mortification.  
It is a frequent custom among the Capucins, to prick themselves, and with thei● blood to sign vows to the Virgin Mary, and to carry the papers whereon these vows are written, about with them. This is taken fo● grand devotion.  
They lie in their  upon boards, and a little straw, over which there is a linnen-cloth spread, and nailed to the boards.  
They make three Lent: two by necessity of precept, and the third by voluntary devotion. This St. Francis' Rule teacheth them. Also they fast twelve days before Whitsuntide, and on all the Vigils of the Virgin, of the Apostles, and of the Saints of their Order.  
They give to whom they please, certain Letters, which they call Letters of Filiation, authorized by the Pope, whereby they give to those who have them, as great a share of all their austerities, penances, fasts, whip, etc. as if they were members of their Order. So that a Merchant or a Gentleman, by virtue of these Letters of Filiation hath as really a part in their merits and satisfactions, as if they were his own, for so they say God will have it, and that he takes this for payment.  
They never go out of the Convent, without ask leave of the Superior on their knees.  
The young Monks dare not speak to the elder, but on their knees; and when they have spoken, they make a very low bow.  
The Capucins give to people little tickets, wherein the name of Jesus is written, to cure the Ague or Fever. Herein they differ from the Augustine Monks, who give a little loaf without leaven on St. Nicholas Talentin's day, who was a Saint of their Order. They suppose that these loaves have a great virtue against diseases.  
Their Constitutions forbidden them to shave themselves with a Razor, but they are permitted to trim themselves with Scissors. And they dare not keep a Razor in their Convents, except it be to scarify their shoulders after the use of cupping-glasses.  
By the same Constitutions they are forbidden the use of spices; and to beg eggs, and cheese.   

CHAP. VII. Of the Whip of the Capucins.  
BY the Constitutions of the Order, the Capucins whip themselves three time● a week, at two a Clock after midnight, (viz.) at two after Sunday night, after Tuesday night, and after Thursday night. In the winter they whip themselves at half an hour past five in the evening, for fear of too great a cold in the night. They whip themselves on the back and buttocks.  

Bonav. vitae Francisci pag. 38. Antonin. 3 part Chro. tit. 24. c. 2. sect. 1. Quod vir Dei sentiens veste depo stia, chord â durissimâ se verberabat, dicens, Eja frater a sine, etc.  This they do in imitation of St. Francis, of whom St. Bonaventure, and St. Antonine write, that being one day tickled with carnal temptations, he lashed himself very severely with his Cord, saying thus to himself: Eja frater asine, decet te manere, & sic subire flagellum; that is, Go to, brother ass, thou must stay, and be whipped thus. 
* Ibi. Sed cùm tentatio nequaquam discederet, foras exiens cùm hyems esset in magnam nivis congeriem se nudum immersit, etc. Antonin. tit. 24. cap. 2, sect. 1.  But his temptations continued for all this, and therefore, to subdue them, he stripped himself stark naked, and plunged himself over head and ears in the snow, and made seven snowballs, saying, The biggest is thy wife, and these two are thy two daughters, etc. The same is recited by James de Voragine in his Legend of St. Francis. And St. Antonine saith, that he often plunged himself in a place full of ice and snow, usque ad illiciti motus recessum, that is, until the immodest motion of his secret parts ceased.  
Besides this whipping, 
Antonin. c. 1. Sustinuic multa flagella à daemonibus, etc.  and the torments which St. Francis inflicted on his own body, the devils whipped him often, and very rudely: but the blessed Saint gave demonstrations that he received all this with joy. Bonaventure saith, that one day the devils beat him so sorely that they left him half dead. 
Bona. apud Surium p. 40 & 41. Daemons verberatum seminecem relinquunt.   
But to returning to the whipping of the Capucins, before they begin this pleasant exercise, each one prepares himself for it, and with his whip drives his fellow to a convenient distance from him, for fear of striking him. Being all ready, the Superior knocks with his hand on a bench, and presently all the candles are blown out, and he that wears the cope that week gins to sing the Psalm Miserere, and they all follow, whipping themsemselves while they sing. Then they sing De Profundis, than the ancient Salve Regina, and then the ancient Christus factus est obediens pr● nobis. During all this singing (which lasts about half an hour) the whipping continues in such sort that the blood trickles down. And they make a terrible noise with their whips The singing being ended, the Superior knock● his seat with his foot, and so the whipping ceaseth.  
This discipline is very terrible; for many times you shall see the place all bloody and in great Convents where there are 60 or 80. Capucins, there is such a noise o● Monks singing with open mouth, and making their whips clack, that you would thin● the house were falling. This whipping is 〈◊〉 just action, for these fathers deserve it well▪  
In the holy week they use this disciplin● every day, but they redouble it on Good-friday, for on that day instead of one Miserer● they sing three, and the whipping continue all the while.  
On the Vigiles of the feasts of our Lady and of the other solemn feasts, and on ever● friday of the month of March they, whi● themselves in the dining-room before dinner. But this whipping lasts no longer tha● while they are singing of one Miserere, whic● is the 51. Psalms, which ends in vitulos Hence comes the proverb to be whipped fro● Miserere unto vitulos. This whipping, whic● is milder, and shorter than at other times, is exercised on the shoulders only, and not on the buttocks.  
This being ended, they eat bread and pottage on their knees in honour of the Virgin Mary. Their night whip are exercised on their buttocks; but the day whip on the shoulders only.  
In the morning these poor Capucins go abroad to beg, with carved buttocks and embroidered backs, carrying a Wallet on the shoulder. They beg from door to door; one gives them bread, another a shoulder of Mutton, another a Leg of a Capon, another puts some Wine into their bottle, which is very large, and of a great capacity.   

CHAP. VIII. Of the Penances of the Capucins.  
THe penances of the Capucins, for punishing of a fault, are imposed in the dining-room, which place serves also for a Chapterhouse.  
In this place before dinner the Monks on their knees wait for the superior, or Guardian; who being come, the most ancient of those who are to receive penance, puts off his garment from his shoulders, clasps his hands, and holds down his head, as low as his knees, accusing himself of sins committed against the Constitutions. They do not accuse themselves for want of a firm affiance in the promises of the Gospel: but ordinarily those things which the penitent confesseth, are trifles; for, he confesseth either that he hath talked too loud, or walked too fast, or gazed about too much, or hath scratched himself while he was at prayers, or hath broken an earthen pot, or the like. This confession they call the fault. Then come the rest, and make such another confession.  
As these confessions are absurd, so are the penances imposed by the Superior on the penitent as ridiculous. He that is accused in the Chapterhouse to have broken silence, is condemned to take a short staff in his mouth, and to hold it betwixt his teeth until the Superior say to him, It is enough. In Italian he says Basta. Sometimes they have a long pole, which five or six of them hold between their teeth, and so walk up and down with it while the others are at dinner, who must take heed that they do not laugh.  
If any one hath whipped himself too gently, he is condemned to whip himself publicly upon the shoulders with a fox-tail in the presence of those that are at dinner.  
If any one hath talked too much, he is condemned to draw a Cross on the ground wi●h his tongue.  
Sometimes for a penance they make a Monk eat with a Cat in the same dish. And others are made to suck a flint dipped in vinegar.  
Others rise from their knees to drink, and as often as they drink they say to their brethren who are at dinner, before they drink, Brethren, pray to God for poor brother Linotte, or for brother Tribouleus, or for poor brother Griboville, etc. For they are obliged to take ridiculous names in humility, to render themselves contemptible. After this they drink by permission with very great modesty.  
If any one be accused of being too spruce and finical, a bucket of water is brought him to view himself in, or they present him with the backside of a kettle for a looking-glass.  
They who have slept at prayers, are made to lie down in the presence of those that are at table, and are made to snore, as if they were asleep.  
If any breaks a cup, or bottle, or a frying-pan, he is made to carry it about hanging at his neck for a penance.   

CHAP. IX. Some extravagant actions, in which the Capucins place holiness.  
DIvers Capucins who have left the Convent, have confessed to me, that although they were accounted the most zealous amongst them, yet they had much ado to forbear laughing at some extravagant actions, in which the Capucins place holiness.  
These things following are practised amongst them, (viz.) To view themselves in a Frying-pan. To make a cross with the tongue in the ashes. To comb the beard with a rake. To chop off the beard on a block with a hatchet. To stand upon one leg in the midst of the dining-room. To kiss the feet of all those who are at dinner. To make a Monk dance before them all. To make him fence. To blindfold him with a dirty clout. To go about upon all four like a beast. To carry about on the head a basket like a head-piece. To put upon the nose a pair of spectacles made of felt. To ride about upon a stick like a child, etc. But the absurdest penance of all is, when the Superior commands a Monk, who having filled his belly, leaves some part of his dinner behind him, to eat it up all, So that he must break his belly in humility, and mortification.  
In the life of St. Felix de Cantalice, (an almes-begger at Rome, Canonised by the Pope, about 16 or 17 years ago) this is put amongst his virtuous actions that being at Rome, in the street he met Philip de Neri, founder of the Priests of the Oratory, and made him drink off his bottle, and that Philip in requital put his hat on Felix his head: Whereupon the Children in the street cried out Fra Felice a un capello. Thus did these Saints by a great self denial mutually communicate their holiness to each other.  
In the Chronicles of St. Francis' Order, it is recorded, that Friar Juniperus, (who is Canonised for a Saint) boiled a hen with her guts, feathers and all. And that being in a certain Castle, he left his dung in the bed where he lay. Another Friar Minor, named Jacobo, in humility leapt into a house of office.   

CHAP. X. Of the names, which the Capucincs tak● when they enter into this profession.  
WHen the Capucins enter into the Order, after the year of Probation they take another name than that which they had given them at their Baptism: For (as I have already said) St. Francis' habit is accounted another Baptism. One is called Hilary, another Joseph, another Basil, etc. Some of them take Sublime and Celestial names. One is called Father Angel, another Father Archangel, another Father Spirit, another Father Cherubin, another Father Seraphin, etc. which names are very unsuitable to the profession of humility. To be a Friar Minor, that is, to be the least, and yet to be an Archangel, are things altogether inconsistent. Besides the nature of their vow is to do works of Supererogation: but the Angels do no such works, for they content themselves with obeying the commands of God.  
Those who say the Capucins are called Angels because they imitate the Angels, in that they marry not, nor receive money, do great wrong to the Order of these Monks; for by the same reason they may be said to imitate the Devils, because they neither marry, nor possess wealth any more than the Angels.  
It is a mockery to say, that they are called Angels, and Seraphins, because they take the Angels and Seraphins for their Patrons, and Protectors: For by the same reason a married woman, who hath taken the Virgin Mary for her Patroness, may be called the Virgin Mary; And he who takes God for his protector, may be called God. But sigh the Capucins have St. Francis for their Protector, who is (as they say) of the Order of the Seraphins, and exalted above the eight Orders of Angels, what need have they to take the Angels for their Patrons? Besides, they who choose Angels, or Saints for their Patrons, choose one certain Angel, or Saint for their Patron; and not the Angels and Saints in general.   

CHAP. XI. The form of making their Vow.  
WHen a Capucin will enter into the Order, after the year of probation, he is admitted to make the vow, which is done in the presence of the Superior, and his brethren, in these terms:  
I A. B. do Vow, and promise to God the Father Almighty, and to th● Blessed Virgin Mary, to the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, to the Blessed St. Francis my Patron, and to you my Father, to observe the Rule of the Friar's Minors, living in Poverty, Obedience, and Chastity.  
He that receives this Vow answers,  
And I, if thou observe it, do promise thee, in the name of God, life eternal.   

CHAp. XII. Some observations upon this Vow.  
Divers things are remarkable in this vow, which being rightly understood, we shall find that many abuses, yea impieties are therein covered with the cloak of religion.  
In the first place, this vow is made to God the Father, to the Virgin Mary, to Saints, and to the Superior of the Convent, without making any mention at all of Jesus Christ.  
In the Second place, he who makes this ●ow to Saints departed, presupposeth that ●hose Saints do see him, and that they know ●he intention of his heart. This is contrary ●o the Holy Scripture, which saith, that the dead have no more a portion for ever in any ●hing that is done under the Sun. Eccles. 9.6. And that God only knows the hearts of the Children of men. 2 Chron. 6.30.  
This vow is repugnant to all the examples contained in the Holy Scriptures, wherein there is no vow made to creatures, but to God only; as God himself commands in Psal. 50.14. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most High. Here sacrifices, and vows are linked together, as things equally due unto God. But the Church of Rome holds that we must offer sacrifices to God only. Ergo.  
But that in the holy Scripture not one example is to be found of vows made to Saints, Bellarmine freely confesseth in his book De cultu Sanctorum, Chapter 9 in these words; When the Holy Scriptures were written, the custom of making vows to Saints was not begun. The same Jesuit in the same chapter saith that a vow is an action of religion due to God only, even as swearing, and sacrificing are, as appears by the holy Scriptures. These are his own words. Thomas Aquin● the Prince of Schoolmen, 
Thomas 2.2. qu●st. 28. art. 5.  saith the san● A vow (saith he) is to be made to God o●ly, but a promise may be made to a m● And in the same place, A Vow is an acts of Religion, or Divine Worship. Wherefore Cardinal Cajetan, in his notes up this place of Thomas, to defend vows m● to Saints, saith, that the Saints are Gods, a● that vows are made to them, ut sunt Dij 〈◊〉 participationem, as they are Gods by parti●pation. The same saith Bellarmine in 〈◊〉  chapter. A Vow belo● not to the Saints but only as they are God's 〈◊〉 participation. But we are certain that t● Saints who reign with Christ are such. E● go etc. According to what Pope Gregor● 2. saith in his Epistle to the Emperor Le● (viz.) that all the Kingdoms of the We● own St. Peter for a God upon Earth.  
But these Doctors consider not, that if 〈◊〉 vow be a worship of Latria, and due 〈◊〉 God only, and that if we make vows 〈◊〉 Saints because they are Gods by participation it follows that we give to Saints the worship of Latria by participation.  
Also they consider not, that by the sam● reaosn it may be said, that the Superior, o● Guardian, who receives this vow, is God to● by participation. For when the Friar Minor ●ath said, I vow unto God, and to the Vir●in, and to the Saints, he adds, and to you ●ny Father, vowing to the Guardian in the ●●me terms in which he vows to the Saints, ●nd to God. This needs not seem strange; ●or in the Church of Rome, the Priest's ●re called Gods and Creators of their Creator, having a Divine power, yea, a power over Jesus Christ. Mr. Beste, a famous Preacher, in his book of the Priestly-Office, chap. 3. saith, The Priesthood and the Deity have I know not what of common, and are almost of an equal grandeur, for they have the same power. Item. Seeing that the Priesthood is equal to the Deity, and that all Priests are Gods, therefore it far exceeds the Kingly Office, and Priests are much more than Kings. And a little after he saith, that God obeys the Priests as often as they pronounce the words of consecration. A Sorbonist named Petrus Aurelius, hath lately written a book with the approbation, and by the authority of the College of Sorbon, which refutes a treatise of the Jesuits entitled Spongia; and in the 75 page this Aurelius saith, Data est Sacerdotibus potestas Christum, hoc est Deum ipsum producendi, that is, A power is given to Priests to produce Christ, that is to say God himself. He adds, that the power o● the Priests hath in it a certain emulation of the eternal operations, whereby the Divine persons are produced.  

Qui creavit me (si fas est dicere) dedit mihi creare se; & qui creavit me creature medainte me.  Gabriel Biel, famous among the Schoolmen, in his first Lesson upon the Canon o● the Mass speaks thus; The Priest hath grea● power over both the bodies of Christ. That is over the Church, and over the consecrated host, which he calls God. And in hi● fourth Lesson, Whoever saw the like? H● that created me (if I may so speak) hat● given me power to create him. And he that created me without my help, is create● by my means.  

Simeon Dunelmensis lib. 2. Chro. Vigner in his Ecclesiast. History, p. 300.  This manner of speech is not new. Fo● Anno 1097. Urban II. called a Council a● Rome, against the Emperor Henry FOUR and all other secular Princes who should claim a right to the investiture of Bishops and Abbots, and to the Collations of Benefices, and prebend's, alleging that it is an abominable thing that those hands which create God, should be obliged to so much ignominy as to do homage to those hands which night and day are defiled with filthy and dishonest touches. Wherefore, you must not wonder, if a Monk that is admitted into the Order, makes a vow to the Superior, who is a Priest, and gives him that honour, which belongs to the worship of Latria, seeing the Priests are called Gods, and Creators of their Creator, and that they have a power over Jesus Christ.  
To these testimonies of the Doctors of the Romish Church, who say, that a vow belongs to the worship of Latria, and aught to be made to God only, we must add the testimony of that Jesuit, Cardinal Tolet. in Book 4. Of the institution of Priests, chap. 17. A vow is a promise made to God by a deliberate purpose and will. By these things it appears, that a vow made to Saints, or to a Superior of a Convent, is pure Idolatry; for thereby that honour which is due to God only, is communicated to the creature.  
Our adversaries cannot escape by saying, that in vowing to Saints they vow mediately to God; for the worship of Latria ought not to be given to the creature either mediately or immediately. In all worship of Latria we must address ourselves to God directly. The Monk that makes this vow addresseth himself to God directly by saying, I vow to almighty God, etc. Having thus addressed himself to God directly, what need is there that he should afterward address himself to him mediately, and by obliqne ways? It is certain, that he who says to his Superior, or Guardian, I Vow to you my Father, speaks not to God, and by these words vows not to God. Consider the words of this vow, and you shall find, that a Monk who is admitted into the Order, speaks to God, to the Saints, and to his Superior in the same terms, and vows not in two different manners.  
But when Bellarmine confesseth that the custom of making Vows to Saints was not begun when the holy Scriptures were written, he should have mentioned the time when it began, and not have cheated the Reader with false allegations, as his usual manner is. For he allegeth these words of Eusebius in his 13. book of Evangelical preparation, chap. 7. Honouring the soldiers of true piety as the friends of God, we come to their monuments and make vows to them; Which passage is false, and altogether forged.  
He also allegeth Theodoret in his 8. book against the Greeks, which book is falsely attributed to Theodoret. In one point Bellarmine, besides his error, discovers his ignorance in the Greek tongue, in not knowing that the Greeks have no proper word to express the word Vow: And the Latin Interpreter, to whom Bellarmine trusts, hath falsely translated Votorum rei dona persolvunt, Which words are not in the Greek Text of the book attributed to Theodoret.  
It is in honour of the Pope that the Monks vow to St. Peter, and St. Paul, and not to St. John, and St. James: for they make the two former the Founders of the Church of Rome.  
The things to which this Monk obligeth himself, are poverty, chastity, and obedience. Of poverty I shall speak hereafter. As for chastity, the Jesuit Emanuel Sa in his Aphorisms upon the word votum saith, that the vow of Priesthood is not a vow of chastity, and that the Bishop can dispense with it; Whereupon we demand, whether a Monk or a Priest that commits fornication, doth not violate the vow of Chastity, and whether by this Vow he doth not oblige himself not to commit fornication. If he doth not oblige himself to it, he shows that he will not be obliged by vow to obey the command of God, which saith, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But by this vow he only obligeth himself to abstain from a thing which God permits, and not from that which he forbids. But if this Monk by vowing Chastity vows not to commit fornication, it is evident that by commiting fornication he violates his vow, and besides he transgresseth the command of God, which obligeth us much more than any voluntary vow. So that he commits two evils, (viz.) He breaks his vow, and violates the law of God. Why then, when a Monk or Priest marries for fear of violating the Law of God by committing fornication, is he accounted to have committed a greater sin than when he commits fornication? Why then is not a Priest that commits fornication, made irregular, and incapable of the Priesthood; but if he marries is presently degraded, yea, and declared punishable with death? To this they answer, that it is because he hath broken his vow, and yet he remains unpunished, and ceaseth not to sing Mass for all that. For the commands of God do not bind so strongly as voluntary vows do, which are made without, yea contrary to the word of God, which saith, If they cannot contain, let them marry. And to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband, 1 Cor. 7.  
But that a Priest who commits fornication, yea hath divers Concubines, is not thereby rendered irregular, and incapable of the Priesthood, not only experience shows (examples of this being numberless) but we have also the determination of Pope Innocent the III. Thereupon in the first book of the Decretals, in the twelfth Title, in the Chapter Quia circa, His words are these, Thou desirest to be instructed by the Apostolic See, Whether Priests that have divers concubines, aught to be counted bigamous. To which we think fit to answer, that seeing they have not incurred the irregularity of bigamy, thou mayest dispense with their exercising of the Priestly Office, they being stained only with simple fornication. But for marrying of one wife, according to the Apostles rule, a Priest is degraded, yea punished with death.  
But, which is much more, one that is a notorious Sodomite, is not made irregular, but may sing Mass for all that: as Navarre, 
Navarr. in caput ad inferendam. 23. quest. 2. De defension proximi.  the most knowing of all the Canonists, and the Pope's Penitentiary teacheth; A man (saith he) doth not incur irregularity but for the cases specified in the law, of which number Sodomy is none. And this he proves by the authority of Pope Innocent. And he adds, that in Italy, (which is more troubled with this evil than it should be) they demand no dispensation for it.  
In fine, how binding soever the vow of not marrying may be, yet the Pope can dispense with it, and may permit a man to marry contrary to his vow. Emanuel Sa in the same place saith, that the Bishops may also dispense with this vow, and permit a man to marry.  
Methinks also to vow to St. Peter never to marry, is to pretend to be wiser than he; for he was a married man. It is just as if one should say to him, I do vow to thee not to follow thy example. I do promise to be wiser and holier than thou.  
It is evident, that he who burns with filthy lusts, and yet vows never to marry, does like a sick person that says to God, Lord, I am sick, but I promise thee that I will not make use of the remedies which thou offerest me, and hast ordained in thy word, for I will be wiser thaen thou.   

CHAP. XIII. The Impiety of the Superiors Answer.  
IF there be Superstition and Impiety in this Vow, whereby a Monk vows to the Creature, and obligeth himself to things which God commands not; yea, to things which he forbids: there is no less in the Answer which the Superior or Guardian makes him, saying;  
And I, if thou keep this vow, do promise thee, in God's name, life Eternal.  
These words duly considered, will make a man ttemble for fear. For one that is neither sent, nor authorized by the King, comes to a man, and says, I have order from the King to promise you such a Preferment, if you do such a thing, is a Cheat, and a perfidious person, and deserves to be punished, because he speaks without order, and without being sent by the King. But the Superior, who makes this promise to the new Monk in God's name, cannot show his Commission or Warrant from God for the making of this promise. He abuseth the poor Monk, by making him believe that he is sent by God to make him this promise in God's name, (viz.) That if he lives in beggary, if he never marries, and if he be obedient to the Guardian of his Convent, he shall have Eternal life: For, these three things are things which God commands not in his Word, and to which he hath made no Promise; yea, these are observations whereby God is more often offended then served: These are things which a Heathen or Hypocrite may do. But to serve God according to his Word, and to believe in Jesus Christ as he is proposed to us in the Gospel, are things to which God hath promised Eternal life, and cannot be done by any, but by those that are the true Children of God: These are things, for which the Superior should say, (not I promise thee, but) God promiseth thee Eternal life. For a man ought not to promise that which he cannot give.   

CHAP. XIV. That corporal Austerities, and Whip, and tormenting of the body, are not marks of Holiness.  
HE is very much deceived, who takes the severity and torments which a man inflicts on his body, for proofs or signs of Holiness. The Apostle St. Paul, 1 Tim. 4. saith, Bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. All that the Capucins do, is nothing, 
1 K n. 18.28.  in comparison of what Baal's Priests did: for they did cut and mangle their bodies with knives, and imbrued themselves in blood, for the service of their Idol. There are Mahometan Monks called Dervis, who live very austerely, and do even roast their bodies upon the hot scalding sands, and with buckles and rings of Iron make themselves incapable for generation. The Cynic Philosophers did beg: Diogenes lay in the street in a tub, having no other householdstuff than a wooden dish; and yet he broke that too, when he considered that Nature had given him one in the hollow of his hand. Read Apuleius his eighth Book of the Milesians, and you will there see the description of the Priests of the Syrian Goddess, who did cut and slash their bodies. 
Arrepto flagro indidem se multimodis mulctat ictibus. Avidis amimis corradentes omnia, & in sacculos huic quaestui de industria praeparatos, farcientes.  He describes one of those Priests, that did whip himself with a whip full of knots, being armed with obstinacy against the smart of the strokes, until the blood streamed down his body. Moreover, he adds, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  That when these Priests had done whipping themselves, they went about a begging, and one gave them a piece of Money, another Wine, another Cheese, etc. which Alms they put into Wallets. In a word, the description which he gives of these mad Priests, doth very much resemble the lives of the Capucins. Lucian in his Book, entitled The Ass, describes these Priests after the very same manner.  
It is a grand abuse to make Piety consist in things wherein Christians may be excelled by Heathens. There is a proud humility, which despiseth itself, that it may be valued by others. The Apostles, and their Disciples, did not live so: In a simple and ordinary habit, and manner of life, they lived soberly, and laboured in the work which God had committed to them. They were famous, not for their extravagant and hideous apparel, not for whipping themselves, nor for eating pottage on their knees; but for their zeal, and holiness of life.   

CHAP. XV. That the Austerities, and Humilities of the Capucins are full of Hypocrisy.  
WE may easily know what to think of the Abstinences, Whip, and humilities of the Capucins, (viz.) that in the midst of their Austerities they discover their pride. And of this I'll give you some examples.  
Before the Capucins begin their Lents (for they have three Lents) they feast and make merry for a whole week, during which time, there is no frolic or Jovial act, which they omit. Some of them sing songs of good fellowship, others sing Amorous, or love songs, others show Hocus pocus tricks, others stand upon their heads, or act the Tumbler or Juggler, etc. In fine, every one doth such things as he had learned before he was a Monk.  
In great towns there be few Capucins but have their superstitiously devout women who furnish them with all sorts of dainties, as sweet meats, comfits, jellies, etc. So that some Capucins have more choice of dainties in their Cells then Ladies have in their closerts.  
When a Capucin comes from abroad, warm linen clothes are put on his body, his feet are washed with sweet herbs, and when they are wiped with warm napkins, every one comes and kisseth them.  
Many of the old Monks, who are called Fathers of importance, are so careful of their health, that they have a cook for themselves in particular (who is always a Monk) a groom of the chamber, and an Apothecary, who follow them from Convent to Convent. You shall see very few of these Fathers of importance, sick but they are very impatient if they want but the least trifle, and then all the town is ransacked from one end to the other, to find what they would have. The Nuns furnish them with sweet meats, the Ladies with rare broths and jellies, the Gentlemen of the Country with wild fowl, the merchants and other townsmen with Shambles-meat; and the wine which they ordinarily drink, is the best that is to be had. Those Capucins, who, to save their Souls, have left the Order, do protest that they have learned of us how to fast; and that when they were Capucins, they fed more highly, and lived more pleasantly and plentifully.  
In great Convents of Capucins such as are at Paris, and Roven, a most furious ambition and envy discovers itself: For, to obtain the least preferment in the Convent, and to supplant their competitors, they have their creatures who cry them up every where, and rail on those that aspire to the same. Office; whence great disorders do oftentimes arise; for Princes do more patiently bear contempts and injuries than the Capucins. And at the Tables of Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls, the Capucins suffer themselves to be placed at the upper end.  
Their pride appears in this, that they profess works of supererogation, that is to say, better works than God commands: so that God may say to a Capucin, I would not have thee so holy.  
The same spirit of pride appears in their calling themselves Angels, Archangels, Spirits, Seraphins and Cherubins. It appears also by the unworthy submissions which the principal Capucins require of the inferior, who never speak to the Superiors but on their knees; which Superiors command them very base things, as to lick up the others spittle, etc.  
It cannot be said, that they wear a barbarous and extravagant habit in humility and mortification; For, he that will subdue his Flesh, may do it as well under a common habit; he may under a usual habit wear a hairshirt, and may whip himself secretly as often as he pleaseth, and without any one's knowledge: But this wild habit, differing from that of other men, serves only to be looked upon, and admired; for people gaze upon and admire nothing but what is extraordinary.  
To this we may add, that he who makes profession of simplicity and humility in his conversation, should not be vain in his discourses, nor too wantonly nice and delicate in his words, for fear of belying his Profession by his Language.  
I speak this because of Father Joseph, 〈◊〉 Capucin; who in his new Book shows, tha● he hath made a great provision of Elegancies. As when he calls St. John, The Secretary o● Love to the Son of God. And of Transubstantion he saith, that it is Love's Masterpiece. And speaking to us, he saith, That when God shall have brought us into his Wine-cellar, there to taste of the excess of his love, we shall not find it so difficult to believe, That Jesus Christ did eat himself, and that together with Christ's body the Devil entered into Judas. With the like grace, supposing the words of St. Philip to the Eunuch too weak and impertinent, as they are set down in the eighth Chapter of the Acts, he introduceth him speaking thus; Sir, will it please you that I presume to ask you a question, with all due respect? To which he makes the Eunuch answer with the like civility, I pray oblige me so much as to come into this Coach. Note also, that the very first word of his Book is a mistake, beginning thus, The Apostle St. Philip; For this Philip was not an Apostle. With the like vanity he talks of preaching in a Ruff, and in a Band, and of yellow and green Gentlewomen; and he brings in speaking I know not what Courtier, who praiseth and extolleth him to his face, saying, That Father Joseph speaks very gracefully, and that all the Catholics have been very much comforted by his Sermons, and do admire the force and clearness of his Reasons.   

CHAP. XVI. Of the pleasant Process betwixt the Capucins and Recollects, about the Tip of their Hoods. Also of Masses in Red, Green, and Violet.  
THe pride of the Minor Friars did never more clearly appear, then in the quarrel which they had, and have to this day, with the Recollects, who are also of St. Francis' Order. When we speak of a Process about nothing, we say, It is a Process about the point of a needle; but the Process of these Minor Friars hath been about the point or Tip of their Hood.  
We must know, that the Cordeliers, who brag as well as the Capucins, that they wear St. Francis' Habit, differ from the Capucins in wearing a round Hood, and laugh at the Capucins and Recollects for wearing a sharppointed Hood, calling it in derision, 
* Made like a Pyramid, in which they put such things as they sell by retail.  A Grocer's paper. Betwixt these Capucins and Recollects there began, a few years since, a great Process in the Court of Rome. The Capucins complained, That the Recollects wore their Hood too long; and that thereby they would make themselves equal to the Capucins in Holiness. That by reason of this long point, being equal in length to that of the Capucins, many are deceived, taking a Recollect for a Capucin, and so give him as much honour; although the Recollects are not to be compared to the Capucins for holiness, and merit of Conversation. And therefore they requested, that by the Decree of his Holiness, the Recollects might be condemned to shorten the point of their Hood.  
The Recollects, on the other side, maintained, and do so still maintain, that they are not inferior to the Capucins in holiness, and perfection; and that it is no dishonour to the Capucins if sometimes a Recollect be taken for a Capucin, or a Capucin for a Recollect.  
This process hath caused great stirs, and hath much troubled these two Orders, and divided the Prelates of Rome into contrary factions. And it was pleasant to hear the contests of these Minor Friars. The Capucin said to the Recollect, What! thou wouldst be equal to us in holiness: Thou art so ambitious, as that thou wouldst be taken for a Capucin. But the Recollect, being witty in biting jests, said, Thou thinkest that holiness consists in wearing a long 
a Ut priùs dictum est.  Grocer's paper. Thou thinkest by thy pride to put the Holy Ghost into a long 
b through which they strain their infusions when they make syrrups; it is a long sharppointed bag.  Apothecary's bag. The holiness of you Capucins appears in this, usz. That for eight days before Lent, you show tricks of Legerdemain, and play the Tumblers, etc. Thus did these Saints dispute, quarrelling which of them by their pride should carry away the prize of humility.  
But the Cordeliers, who wear a round hood like a child's biggin, took great pleasure in beholding this strife, and laughed at them both: For they say, that the hood of the old pictures and statues of St. Francis, hath not a long point; And they say, that their round hood, made in form of a child's biggin, is conformable to what our Saviour saith in the 18. Chap. of St. Matthew, Except ye become as little Children, 
Cass. lib. 1. cap. 4.  ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Cassian saith the same of the Anchorites, living in the deserts of Egypt, that they wear a hood in imitation of the simplicity and innocency of Children, according to that which is written in the 131. Psalms, I am not haughty, but am even as a child weaned from his mother.  
Nevertheless, St. Hierome speaks against this hood, and laughs at it: for observe what he saith of it, in his Epistle to Eustochius, There are some (saith he) who wear a hairshirt, 
Cucullis fabrefactis ut ad infantiam redeā●, imitantur noctuas, & hubones.  and making themselves hoods, to resemble children, they are like Owls, and buzzards. Afterward he adds, Eat those whom thou seest have a Goat's beard, a black cloak, and that go with their feet naked, being hardened with the cold: All these things are marks of the devil. When they have intruded themselves into great men's houses, they deceive silly women laden with sin, and counterfeit a dejected gravity. This is a very fair lesson for the Capucins.  
But to return to this great process: the Capucins did at last obtain sentence in their favour; for they had on their side one of the Pope's near kinsmen, who was a Capucin. By this sentence of the Pope, the Recollects were condemned to shorten the tip of their hood: but they openly protested, that they would not obey this sentence, saying, That they would rather dissolve their Order, and relinquish all, then acquiesce in this sentence. Wherefore yet to this day, in despite of the Pope, they wear their hood of the same length as before.  
Of this hood, as of the rest of the habit of the Minor Friars, it is observable, that it is not lawful for a Monk to change it in the least, not so much as in the colours of the Mass: For it is not lawful to sing Mass in a red habit, on those days on which it is appointed to be sung in a green habit; nor to be sung in a black habit, on those days on which it is appointed to be sung in a violet habit: The rules in this case are very strict, 
pag. 328.  and are placed at the beginning of the Mass-book.  
But Father Joseph wrongs us in his new book, by endeavouring to prove that the like things are done amongst us, objecting against me, that I wear a Ruff, and that as there are Masses in green, violet, etc. so it may be said, that amongst us there are Sermons in a Ruff, and Sermons in a Band, Sermons in a Gown, and Sermons in a Cloak: for this Minor Friar knows well enough, that we have no rules to oblige us to wear a Ruff or a Band, as the Church of Rome hath inviolable laws concerning Masses in green, red, and violet. It is to be supposed that when St. Peter and St. Paul were in a gay humour, they sang Mass in a green habit. My design in mentioning the colours of Masses so strictly enjoined, is to show, that false religions having corrupted the true doctrine, do endeavour to colour this wickedness with a multitude of ceremonies, and external observations, in which great mysteries are pretended: So our Adversaries having destroyed the body of true piety, pay the people with variety of colours.   

CHAP. XVII. How St. Francis obtained of Pope Innocent the Third, the approbation of his Rule.  
FRancis d' Assize, when he was but a private person, little known, and followed by none; moreover, being esteemed out of his wits by his fellow citizens, who threw dirt at him, and also by his father, named Peter Bernardo, who did beat him, and kept him prisoner a long time, composed a Rule, and some laws, to the Observation whereof he would oblige those who would believe him, promising them life eternal.  
But because this Rule could not be received without the Pope's approbation, and authority, he went to Pope Innocent the 3d. to beg the confirmation of his Rule. Matthew Paris, an English Monk, Superstitious in the highest degree, and an admirer of St. Francis, in his History of the life of Henry the III. saith, 
pag. 237.  that the said St. Francis presented himself to Pope Innocent the III. sitting in Conclave, and gave him his Rule in writing, entreating him to authorise it by his approbation: but Pope Innocent taking notice of St. Francis' bad , his dirty and contemptible countenance, his long beard, and the black hair of his eyebrows hanging down over his eyes, despised him, and said to him, Go brother, and wallow in the dirt with the Swine, for thou art more like them than like a man. Which words as soon as Francis heard, he bowed himself very low, and in obedience to the command of his Holiness, went and wallowed with swine in a puddle, wherein he tumbled so long that he was covered with dirt from head to foot; and in this pickle he came again, and presented himself to the Pope, saying, My Lord, I have done what you commanded me, Whereat the Pope being very much astonished, and admiring his great obedience, granted his request, and approved of St. Francis' Rule which is observed at this day by the Capucins, and the other Minor Friars, with a grand obedience. This approbation was granted Anno Domini 1212. as St. Bonaventure and, St. Antonine testify. And this approbation was again confirmed by Pope Honorius, successor to Innocent.   

CHAP. XVIII. Of the humility, and incomparable patience of St. Francis; and of his most notable actions.  
DIvers have written the life and actions of St. Francis. Vincent in his Mirror of History writes it at large. Matthew Paris, an English Monk, in the life of Henry the Third, describes the actions of St. Francis, and sets down his Rule. These two Historians wrote about thirty years after St. Francis' death. James de Voragine hath written his Legend. We have also the Chronicles of St. Francis, upon the same subject. But the Authors of greatest authority are first St. Bonaventure, a General of St. Francis' Order, and a Cardinal, who wrote about forty years after St. Francis' death. This Bonaventure, the Church of Rome placeth amongst her Saints, and Principal Doctors. This is that St. Bonaventure, who composed the Psalter of the Virgin Mary, 
This Psalter of Bonaventure, was printed at Paris by Claude Chapelet, in St. James' street at the sign of the Unicorn, anno. 1601.  containing one hundred and fifty Psalms, which are nothing else but the hundred and fifty Psalms of David, out of which Bonaventure hath taken the word God, and hath put the word Virgin in its stead; for example, he thus gins the 109. Psalms, (which according to the Hebrew, is the 110) The Lord said unto our Lady, sit thou at my right hand, etc. And in Psal. 90. instead of, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, he hath put, He that dwelleth in the help of the Mother of God. And in the 129. Psalms, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O our Lady, hear my voice. And so throughout the Psalms. By this means the true honour which all Christians own to the holy, and blessed Virgin, turns to her reproach, by transforming her into an Idol, and by putting her in the place of God. This is that St. Bonaventure, to whom the Capucin Joseph would have us give credit, and would have us believe that description of S. Francis' life, which he gives us.  
After this St. Bonaventure, we have St. Antonine, Archbishop of Florence, Canonised by Pope Clement the Seventh, Anno Domini. 1523, with the approbation of his Doctrine, and great Indulgences granted to those who shall shall visit his Sepulchre. I speak this, because no body may think that such passages as I shall quote out of these Authors, are things which the Church of Rome believes not; or that I have invented them; or that they are forged by persons of small authority. I allege such Saints as are prayed unto, and adored in the Church of Rome.  
Saint Francis his Father was named Peter Bernardo, A Citizen of Assize, in the Duchy of Spolete in Italy.  
Saint Francis' name, when he was young, was John Bernardo, but he changed his name, and would be called Francis, because he spoke French when he was moved by the Holy Ghost to utter the praises of God; as Bonaventure tells us, in the life of St. Francis. 
This Life, written by St. Bonaventure, you may find in Surius, in the month of October. p. 30.   
When he was but young, and a Lay-person, he demonstrated a grand Humility, even to the kissing of Lepers: and one day alighting from his horse to kiss a Leper, it was revealed unto him, that this Leper was Jesus Christ.  
His fellow-Citizens seeing him a greasy and dirty fellow, and that he did wild and extravagant actions, judged him to be out of his wits; and running after him, threw stones at him, and covered him all over with dirt. Which when his Father saw, he fetched him home, and kept him shut up a long time, whipping him cruelly, as mad folk are whipped for their cure. But his Mother taking pity on him, did, in the absence of her Husband, set him at liberty.  
When his Father returned home, he brought him before the Bishop, and made him disclaim his right of Inheritance: To which Francis very willingly consented; yea, pulling off his Breeches, and the rest of his , he made himself stark naked, being (as St. Bonaventure saith) drunk with the Holy Ghost. Then he said to his Father, Hitherto I have called thee my Father; but henceforward I will say, Our Father which art in Heaven. Antonine reports the same in the Life of St. Francis.  
Being thus naked, he went into a Spittle where Lepers were kept, and tended them, kissing their feet, and wiping and kissing their sores with an admirable devotion, as St. Bonaventure tells us.  
In those days St. Francis wore shoes, and walked with a staff, and girded himself with a leather-girdle: But afterwards, judging this equipage excessive, and too delicate, he left his shoes and his staff, and in humility girded himself with a Cord.  
Being tempted with unchaste desires, he plunged himself over head and ears in a ditch full of ice. And one day, the Devil having breathed on him, he felt the fire of carnal lust kindled within him: Whereupon this blessed Saint stripped himself stark naked, and whipped himself terribly with his Cord, saying, Eja frater asine, decet te manere, & sic subire flagellum; that is, Go eo, brother ass, thou must stay there, and be whipped thus. Antonine and James de Voragine report the same.  
The hard ground was his ordinary bed, and a stone his pillow. But one day, by reason of a pain in his head, taking a feather-pillow, and reposing himself thereupon, the Devil got into it, and extremely troubled his brain, and disturbed his devotion: At which St. Francis being incensed, took hold of the pillow, and threw away both it and the Devil.  
Finding that his carnal concupiscence continued, he ran to his garden, and gathering a great heap of snow, he plunged himself in it over head and ears, stark naked, as St. Bonaventure saith. But St. Antonine saith, that he plunged himself in it only so high as his privities. Then he made seven snowballs, saying of one, This is my Mother; and of another, This is my Daughter, etc. whereupon the Devil went away very much ashamed.  
He presented his Rule to Pope Innocent the Third; who for a while rejected it, and some of the Cardinals opposed it, saying, That it proposed novelties, and things impossible to be done: But at last, St. Francis wallowing in the mire with Swine, obtained his request.  
Sometimes he had a mind to hear himself reviled; 
Bonavent. p. 39 Legenda Antonin. p. 725. Legenda.  and to this purpose he once said to a Monk, Rail on me. Which strict command the Monk not daring to disobey, said to him, Thou art an idle, lazy Lubber, a mercenary fellow, an ignorant sot, and a worthless rascal. Whereat St. Francis greatly rejoicing, answered, God bless thee, my Son; for what thou hast said is vory true.  

Bonavent. pag. 39 Antonin. pag. 726.  One day he had a mind to feed bette● then ordinary; for which resolving to ma●● satisfaction, as having committed a great s● he caused himself to be dragged to the Gallows, with a halter about his neck, and 〈◊〉 body naked, only he had a pair of Drawe● on; and there standing on a great stone, 〈◊〉 confessed that he was a glutton, a flesh eater, and most worthy of scorn and contempt. St. Antonine saith, that a Monk we● before him, crying aloud, Friends, beho●● this glutton, this eater of Pullet's flesh, whic● he hath eaten secretly without our knowledge  

Bonavent. pag. 41. The Legend saith the same.  The Devils whipped him so cruelly, th● they left him halfdead. And one day multitude of Devils running on the top 〈◊〉 his house with a horrible noise, he called 〈◊〉 them with a sweet and pleasing voice, i● treating them to come down, and to be● and torment him; saying to them, Com● and avenge me of my adeursary, which is my flesh.  

Legend. pag. 72.  Not being content with the torments the Devils inflicted on him, he whipped himself cruelly, taking delight in this exercise. And once he hid himself in a Cave a whole month, without any one's knowledge, as St. Antoni●● testifies.  
St. Antonine and the Legend put this amongst the proofs of St. Francis' holiness; 
pag. 721. Antonin. Tit. 24 c. 1. s. 2.  That being once at dinner at an honest man's house, a Capon of seven years old was brought to the table, and that he sent a leg of this Capon for an Alms to a poor passenger, who was a 
* One that believes amiss. Legenda Antonin. pag. 725. Bonavent.  miscreant, and a perverse fellow. But the next day, when St. Francis was in the Pulpit preaching, this miscreant, thinking to jeer St. Francis, said to the people; I will show you what sort of meat Francis useth to feed on: and then going to show the people the Capon's leg, he found it turned into Fish; whereupon this miscreant was much confounded.  
When any one gave him roast-meat, he dragged it through the ashes, 
Antonin. pag. 726.  or laid it a soaking in cold water, for fear of breaking his Vow of poverty and abstinence. An invention which Jesus Christ and his Apostles, when they were eating the Passeover, did not think of.  
St. Antonine saith, 
Antonsn. in vitâ S. Francisci, pag. 723.  that St. Francis divided his Disciples into three Companies; whereof two spent their time in contemplation, and the third in action. This third sort of Monks were called Pinzocgori, and were permitted to marry.  

Legenda Jacobi de Voragine. Antonin. p. 724.  Some Greek Monks having prepared dinner for him, when he came to the hous● and saw clean linen and glasses on t●● table, he presently got to the door, a● ran out into the street, where meeting 〈◊〉 beggar who had a very bad hat, he took th● hat, and putting it on his own head, sat down at the door of the house, begging.  

Legenda Jacobi de Voragine Antonin. in vitâ Francisci.  Being weary, he got up upon an ass but having with him one Leonard a Monk who was on foot, this Leonard grumble● at it; which St. Francis perceiving, alighted from the ass, and said to Leonard; Brother get up upon the ass, for thou art of better a family than I  

Legenda Antonin.  He honoured Priests so much, that h● said, If I should meet together on the way a Priest, and a Saint that came down from heaven, I would first go and kiss the Priest's hands, and would say to the Saint, stay thou there a while.  

The Legend and Antonin. p. 726. & 727. Bonavent. p. 44 & 50  In humility he preached to the birds. And being once in a Castle called Albion, while he was preaching to the people, a multitude of Swallows flocked about him; which by their singing hindered the people from hearing him: Whereupon turning to the Swallows, he said, ●ters, ye ha● talked enough, now it is hig● time for me to speak. At which words the Swallows were silent until the Sermon was ended. And pitying a Hare, 
Bonavent. page 44.  which suffered itself to be taken, he said to it, Brother Hare, why didst thou suffer thyself to be so deceived? A live Tench was presented to him, 
Antonin. page 727. Bonavent. page 44. The Legend. Bonavent. pag. 44.  on which taking pity, he threw it again into the River. Hearing a Grasshopper sing, he said to it, Sing, sister Grasshopper, and praise the Creator with rejoicing.  
Being in the Church of St. Mary, called Portiuncula, some body gave him a sheep, to which he gave instructions; and the sheep in obedience to him, presently sell a bleating, while the Monks were singing in the Choir: and this creature did very humbly kneel down when the host was held up. Whereupon Surius puts in the Margin, O that heretics would learn henceforward to adore the Eucharist!  
Travelling through the Marquisate of Ancona, 
Antonin. p. 727.  he met on his way a Country fellow carrying two Lambs to Market to sell them, which did bleat most pitifully; Whereupon St. Francis, being touched with brotherly compassion, said to the Country fellow, Why d●●st thou torment my Brethren so? The Country man answered, I carry them to the Market to sell them to some body that will eat them. Then the holy man said to him, God forbidden; rather take the cloak which I have on my shoulders. So he gave him his cloak, and saved the lives of his brethren, which he carried away on his shoulders with a brotherly Charity.  

Antonin. pag. 727.  Remembering that it is written in the two and twentieth Psalm, I am a worm, and no man, he would not suffer a worm to be trodden upon.  
One of his Monks having spoken somewhat roughly to a poor man, he commanded him to strip himself, and to go stark naked before this poor man, and to kiss his feet.  

Antonin. in vitâ Francisci cap. 2. s. 6. Bonavent. page 47.  He was very devoutly present at a Christmas midnight Mass, to which according to the Custom of the Church of Rome in those days, and used still in some places, an Ox, and an Ass were led, and hay was carried for them.  
It is observable that Bonaventure saith, That Francis had no learning, 
page 48.  nor knowledge of the holy Scriptures, acquired either by study or instruction from others but that by the irradiation of the eternal splendour, he penetrated even to the very bottom of the Holy Scripture. Hence it is, that in his Rule he allegeth Scripture so dexterously, and pertinently, as we shall see anon.  
At last brother Francis died, having acted a Comedy both before God and man.   

CHAP. XIX. The great rewards which St. Francis received for his humility: And of his marks.  
A Humility so profound, and of s● great a merit, was not unrewarded St. Antonine, 
pag. 728.  in the life of St. Francis, reports, That the people did run after him and did tear his  in pieces, every on● striving to carry away a piece, believing tha● these rags were of great virtue, and a prope● means for salvation; so that the people left him half naked.  
Bonaventure saith, That a certain holy ma● had a vision, wherein it seemed to him, tha● a golden cross came out of St. Francis'● mouth, whose top touched Heaven, an● its two arms reached unto the ends of th● Earth.  
In the seventh chapter of the Revelation St. John speaks thus; I saw another Ang● ascending from the East, having the sea● of the living God. St. Bonaventure, in th● life of St. Francis, 
Bonavent. pag. 31.  saith, That we must believe that without doubt this Angel is St Francis: these are his words; I saw (sait● John in the Revelation) another Angel ascending from the East, having the seal of the living God. Whence we gather, by an infallible faith, that this messenger of God, beloved of Christ, to be imitated by us, and admired by the world, is that servant of God, Francis.  
The same Bonaventure saith, 
Pag. 40.  that a certain holy, and devout man, being once in St. Francis' company, fell into a trance, and saw in Heaven divers seats, amongst which he saw one more Magnificently adorned then the rest, glittering with precious stones, and very glorious: And as this holy man was wondering for whom this seat was prepared, a voice came to him from Heaven, saying, This was the seat of one of the lapsed Angels, and is kept for the most humble Francis. The Legend saith the same: and we have already seen, that this was the seat of one of the apostate Seraphins; and that by this exaltation the most humble Francis is placed above the Archangels, and above the Cherubins, and consequently above all the Saints, except the Virgin Mary, who is called The Queen of Heaven.  
All, that have written the life, and actions of St. Francis, say, That about two years before his death, God intending to recompense the humility and merits of St. Francis, sent a Seraphin to him; which, lying upon him , imprinted on his hands and feet the marks of the wounds of Jesus Christ.  
After his death, there was a great stir, and contest about these marks: Some laughed at it, and said, that if St. Francis had really received from God the marks of the wounds of Jesus Christ, every one must needs have seen them, during the space of those two years, seeing he went with his feet naked, and wore no gloves: but that none ever saw them, save one Friar, named Elias, 
Antonin. Tit. 24. cap. 2. S. 8. Solus hoc frater Elias casu utcunque prospicere meruit.  who saw them but once, and that by chance too. They said also, that the miracles of Jesus Christ, and his Apostles served to some good purpose, (viz.) to cure diseases, to give ease and deliverance to the afflicted, to raise the dead etc. but that the marks of these wounds d● no cure at all, and are good for nothing That it is not credible, that God would imprint these marks on a mortal body, whic● was soon after to putrify, by which putrefaction these marks had been defaced Moreover, that although these marks had been really imprinted, yet it is a thing which the Devil, or men may easily counterfeit. That the Apostles, who had more worth in them then St. Francis, never had these marks.  
But the Pope interposed, and in recompense of the services which Brother Francis had done him, (for he was a great defender of the Pope's Authority) Canonised him, and put him in the Catalogue of the Saints. This Canonization was Anno Domini 1228. Moreover, Pope Alexander the Fourth, Anno Domini 1254. understanding that St. Francis was on Mount Alverno when he received the impression of these wounds, took this occasion to augment his Revenue: For he declared, that all the Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods in that Mountain did belong to the Pope, and were directy and immediately subject to the Church of Rome. Moreover, 
Antonin. cap. 2. s. 10.  he did personally cite, and adjourn those who had maliciously defaced the marks of the Image of S. Francis which was at Gennes, in the Church of St. Marry de Vignes.  
About twenty six years since, Pope Nicolas the Fourth sent Bulls to all the Churches under the Papal jurisdiction, certifying the truth of St. Francis' marks (though divers, who were hard of belief, 
Antonin. pag. 720.  laughed at it:) since which time, the memory of St. Francis' marks is sacred in the Church of Rome, which (as Antonine saith) observes the Feast of St. Francis' marks; which honour is not done to the marks of Jesus Christ.  
When I consider these things, I cannot enough wonder at the blindness of those that give credit to things so full of absurdities and impostures: It seems as if the adorers of St. Francis had invented them on purpose to dishonour and mock him; for no man, who hath any common sense left him, will do such things as are attributed to St. Francis; who played the madman, that he might be counted a Saint; and, as much as in him lay, kept himself from the usual and ordinary actions of mankind, that he might be admired, (viz.) To draw roasted flesh through the ashes; to wallow in the dirt with Swine; to tumble in the snow; to give instruction to Animals, and to call them his brethren and Sisters, are things which cannot be done by a man that is in his right senses.  
And herein we must admire the just effects of God's displeasure, who hath revenged the contempt of his Word contained in the holy Scriptures; for in those days, and in the following Ages, the holy Scripture was a Book sealed, and altogether unknown to the people: Nothing was then talked of, but Images, lying Wonders, Croisades, Indulgences, adoration of Relics, and the power of the Pope was then at the height, and absurd and feigned Legends were the ordinary subject of Sermons. Wherefore God being provoked, struck the people with the spirit of giddiness, and with a horrible blindness, which grew thicker and thicker, until God took the Candle of his Word from under the Bushel, and exposed to view the holy Scriptures.   

CHAP. XX. That under the Cloak of Humility Saint Francis hide an unparallelled pride.  
WHosoever shall rightly consider the actions of St. Francis, shall under the Cloak of Humility discover an unparallelled pride.  
In the beginning of the Legend written by James de Voragine, it is reported, That Francis being prisoner with divers other persons, he only was merry, and all the rest were sad. And being asked what was the cause of his mirth, he answered; Ideo me exultare noveritis, quia adhuc sanctus per totum seculum adorabar, that is, Know, that I rejoice because I shall be adored for a Saint throughout the World. To desire to be adored is the highest degree of pride: None of the Apostles desired this honour. Cornelius the Centurion, who was a man fearing God, knew that there is but one God, which he continually invoked; He knew well enough that St. Peter was not the Creator of the world: but being seized with reverence, he would have given him some inferior adoration; for which St. Peter rebuked him, saying. Stand up; I myself also am a man. Act. 10.26. St. John, seized with fear, would have adored the Angel that talked with him, as you may see in the one and twentieth Chapter of the Revelation; But the Angel rebuked him, saying, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant; worship God. He knew well enough that this Angel was not God; for the same Angel had told him so before, in chap. 19 of the same book. Is it not therefore an impious folly, for a man to live the life of a beggar, that he may be adored after his death?  
The Rule of St. Francis, which speaks with an absolute authority, demonstrates the pride of him that composed it. For who gave brother Francis, who was of the meanest of the people, and without any charge either Ecclesiastical or Civil, power to compose laws different from the laws of God, and to make ordinances which oblige men upon pain of damnation? Who gave him power to command with absolute authority? For see how he speaks in his Rule. Per obedientiam injungo Ministris; I enjoin Ministers by their obedience. And he concludes his Rule with these words, That it is not lawful for any man to infringe this Rule, or by rash boldness to contradict it. That if any one shall presume to make such an attempt, let him know, that he shall incur the displeasure of Almighty God, and of the Blessed Apostles, Peter, and Paul.  
I demand how we can be assured that God would have us, upon pain of incurring his displeasure, entirely observe the Rule of Francis d'Assise, and that God would be angry with a Minor Friar, who, instead of a Cord, should gird himself with a leather-girdle, or should receive money, or would not wear patched clothes, or would wear a shirt, or should (whether he be a Capucin or a Lay Cordelier) say less than seventy six Pater's in one day? What can be said more against murderers, adulterers, and blasphemers, than to say, that they incur the indignation of Almighty God? Hath not weak and sinful man enough to do to obey the commands of God, without having heavy burdens imposed on him in things unnecessary, and which God requires not, and then to be made believe, that he who doth in the least transgress these laws, invented by man, doth incur the indignation of God?  
It is observable, that many of those who are rigid observers of those humane laws, and oblige others to be so too, do very easily dispense with the Laws of God; and ●e far from loving God with all their hearts, ●nd their neighbours as themselves.  
But superstition prevails more than Religion. And hence it is that in the Contents of Monks there are envies, factions and continual emulations, besides other vices.  
But how did this Francis d' Assize know, ●hat a Monk who observes not his Rule, incurs the indignation of S. Peter and S. Paul? Had he spoken with them? Did they declare ●nd promise that they would be avengers ●nd enemies to all those that should con●emn the Rule of the Minor Friars? We ●ave the Epistles of those excellent Apostles, Peter, and Paul, which (without a comparison) are better than St. Francis' Rule, and yet they do not declare themselves avengers of the contempt of their doctrines.  
They do not say, that he who shall violate their precepts, shall incur their indignation. Wherefore it appears that this venerable Francis assumes an authority over the Apostles, whom he would oblige to be an●ry for his sake, and to undertake his quar●el. But it is not credible, that the Apostles, who enjoy celestial glory, will concern themselves for the observation of the Rules of Monks, especially seeing they themselves were no Monks, and that their lives were as much unlike the lives of the Capucins, as heaven is distant from earth; Also because there were no Convents of Monks in the Apostles days, nor in many ages after.  
Methinks it is enough to have God our enemy: If a man incurs the indignation of God, the indignation of these two Apostles will not render him the more miserable. In vain therefore doth Francis, after he hath denounced against the Minor Friars, who shall disobey his Rule, the indignation of God, threaten them with the indignation of St. Peter, and St. Paul, who are presupposed (though without proof, and contrary to the word of God) to know the heart, and to see all that i● done here below.  
Also we would fain know, why Francis d' Assize threatens the Monks with the indignation of St. Peter, and St. Paul, only? And why not with the indignation of St. John, and St. James? But perhaps he believed, that they have less credit in heaven, or that they are less choleric.  
It is very observable, that Francis d'Assise composed his Rule (wherein he gives laws, and commandeth with authority,) when he was but a Lay man, and a private person, and a long time before the Pope approved it: And although he was of the meanest rank of people, and without any office or dignity, yet he speaks magisterially.  
To the Rule of St. Francis, is added his Testament, wherein he speaks with full power, and authority, saying, Firmiter volo quod fratres laborent de laboritio, & praecipio firmiter fratribus per obedientiam, etc. That is, I do strictly charge, and do firmly, and absolutely command the Friars by their obedience, etc. He presupposeth, that obedience is due to him, and that his commands ought to be firm, and inviolable. King's speak not with more authority.   

CHAP. XXI. Some Laws and Ordinances contained in St. Francis' Rule.  
THe Rule of Francis d'Assise gins with these words:  
The Rule and Life of the Minor Friars is as follows, viz. to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in these things, viz. in living Obediently, Chastely, and without Property.  
These words are very remarkable; for they do not oblige the Monks to acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the eternal Son of God, and the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, nor to be charitable and liberal to the poor, nor to be at peace with their neighbours, nor to do to others what they would have done to themselves, nor diligently to read the holy Scripture, and to be instructed in the Doctrine of Salvation, which are things expressly contained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and recommended by the Apostles: But this Rule obligeth the Minor, Friars to observe the Gospel in things which the Gospel of Jesus Christ commands not; for you cannot find, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ forbids any one to marry; on the contrary, Jesus Christ, by the mouth of his Apostle, commands those who cannot contain, to marry, and St. Peter was married. Jesus Christ forbids us not to possess any thing in particular, nor doth he command us to live in beggary by the sweat of other men's brows. He commands not to make a Vow of Obedience to a Guardian, or Abbot, or Superior of a Monastery; for in the days of Jesus Christ there were no such people, nor in many Ages after. Can there be a more manifest mockery, then to oblige men by Vow to obey the Gospel in such things whereof the Gospel makes not the least mention, and some whereof are contrary to the Gospel?  
But if these things are commanded in the Gospel, (as this Rule falsely presupposeth,) why then doth the Pope dispense with this Vow, by permitting Monks to marry? However, he seldom gives this permission, except to persons of great Quality.  
In the second Chapter of the same Rule, you shall find these words:  
Let those who are received Monks, have a Cloak with a Hood, and (if they will) another without a Hood. Also, let those wear shoes, who are constrained by necessity so to do. Likewise, let all the Friars wear poor and base , which they may patch with pieces of sackcloth and such other stuff, and shall have the blessing of God with it.  
Must not that man be out of his wits, who thinks, that the patching of old  can bring down the blessing of God upon any one? And seeing the Capucins  are of woollen-cloth, St. Francis did very improperly ordain, that they should be patched with sackcloth.  
In the same Chapter of this Rule, mention is made of three Lents, viz. the Lent before Easter, another from All Saint's day till Christmas, and the other from the day of the Epiphany till the Lent before Easter. So that there are five Months of Lent: The two first are necessarily enjoined, but the third is left to every one's liberty.  
In this same Chapter, the Minor Friars are forbidden to ride on Horseback, except in case of extreme necessity. Also they are commanded, when they enter into any house, to eat whatsoever is set before them. By this Rule, they may eat flesh in Lent.  
They are likewise forbidden, in the same Chapter, to receive money, either personally, or by Proxy: For Pope Nicolas hath already told us, that to have a Bag, and Money, as Jesus Christ and his Apostles had, is an action of infirmity: but Saint Francis, who had neither Bag nor Money, attained unto greater perfection.  
In the fifth Chapter of the same Rule, Francis d'Assise commands his Monks to labour with their hands, if they are able: But in his Testament he speak more precisely; for he saith, that he himself did labour with his hands; and he adds,  
I do likewise expressly command all the other Monks to labour.  
This Command is not observed now a days; for the Capucins and Cordeliers who understand a Trade, had rather live in idle beggary by other men's labour: And thus they daily break their Vow, and transgress their Rule.  
But above all are remarkable the words of the Tenth Chapter of this Rule, which are these;  
Let not the Friars trouble themselves to teach those to read, who cannot read; but above all things let them desire the Spirit of God.  
St. Francis says this, because some Monks are very ignorant, and cannot read. Some such there are now adays, but not so many as there were in St. Francis' time; whose opinion it is, That no body needs trouble himself to teach them to read, that so they may be instructed in the holy Scriptures; he had rather they should remain ignorant: Only he would have them desire the Holy Ghost; not considering, that God gives this Spirit to those who are instructed in his Word: For, to desire the Holy Spirit, and yet to neglect the ordinary means whereby the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of men, is to shut the door against him, while we desire him; it is just as if a man should desire to have a Bell rung, without having the Clapper of it moved.  
These are the Commands of Francis d'Assise, who is exalted above the Cherubins that stand before the Throne of God; to the observation of which Commands, he promiseth Life Eternal; and by the transgression of them, a man incurs the indignation of God, and of the Apostles Peter and Paul; but not of St. Philip, and St. Luke. Moreover, here are better and more excellent things proposed, than those which God commands in his Law, viz. Works of Supererogation, which merit a supereminent degree of Glory, far above the ordinary sort of Saints, who contented themselves with doing what God commands.  
To this Rule are added the Constitutions of the Order; (whereof I have already spoken:) which the Capucins observe more exactly, and with greater obedience than they do the Law of God, and Doctrine of the Gospel.   

CHAP. XXII. That the Holy Scripture is falsified and wrested in the Rule of St. Francis.  
WE have heard before, that St. Bonaventure saith, That St. Franci● had not any science acquired by study; but that he had received the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures by divine inspiration. Whether this be true or not, will appear by the passages of Scripture, which Francis d' Assize allegeth in his Rule.  
In the second Chapter, he strictly forbids the Minor Friars to forsake the Order, but will have them continue in it as long as they live: And that they ought so to do, he proves by a passage of St. Luke, in his Ninth Chapter, Verse 62. where Jesus Christ speaks thus, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God. The connexion of this passage with the preceding Verses, shows, that by him who puts his hand to the plough, and looks back, is meant such a one whom Jesus Christ having sent to preach the Gospel, and having undertaken that charge, doth afterwards leave it to serve his worldly occasions. Our Lord speaks not of him who hath vowed never to marry, and to wear no shirt, and to live by begging, and to observe humane Rules and Traditions, which ensnare men in unclean lusts, and which are given to God for better works then those commanded in his Law, as if Man would make him a debtor. In a word, to forsake the service of Jesus Christ, and to transgress the Rule of Francis d' Assize, is, in his opinion, one and the same thing.  
In the Ninth Chapter of the same Rule, St. Francis commands the Monks to be brief in their Sermons, Quia verbum abbreviatum fecit Dominus super terram; that is, Because the Lord made his word short upon earth: Which is a passage taken from the Tenth Chapter of Isaiah, Vers. 23. and from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, Chap. 9, Vers. 28. where is no mention at all made of Sermons or words which men pronounce with their mouths; but of God's judgements and punishments, which he hasteneth, and will speedily bring upon men. The divine inspiration given to St. Francis did not (it seems) teach him, that as well in the Old as New Testament, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Verbum is very often taken for Res or Negotium; as in Exodus. Chap. 2. Vers. 14. and Chap. 9 Vers. 5, & 6. and in 1 Sam. Chap. 1. Vers. 4. and Chap. 2. Vers. 6. and in St. Luke, Chap. 1. Vers. 37. and Chap. 2. Vers. 15. and often elsewhere.   

CHAP. XXIII. Of Poverty, and riches.  
FRancis d' Assize made profession to be a great lover of Poverty, and commonly called it his Mistress. In his Rule he speaks thus to his Monks; It is this sublimity of most lofty poverty (my dear brethren) which makes you heirs, and Kings of the Kingdom of Heaven, and exalts you in virtues, who are poor in substance: And thereupon he forbids them to possess any thing of all that is under the Sun.  
He himself put this Rule in practice. For having a competent estate, he left it all: yea he left his breeches, and the rest of his clothes, and went about stark naked.  
As for Poverty in general, many take delight in praising it; yea, those very persons who eat it; And to extol it, they say that Jesus Christ was poor: But that serves rather to show that poverty is an evil; for Jesus Christ came into the World to bear our infirmities, and to sustain our sorrows.  
Bellarmine, in the 45. Chapter of his book of the Monks, saith, that Jesus Christ was a beggar. To the titles of the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Word, the Wisdom of the Father, nothing was wanting to complete his praises, but to call him beggar: But a man cannot properly be said to be a beggar for living by the help and assistance of another.  
We may judge of the nature of riches, and poverty by this, (viz.) that God is infinitely rich, and that the Devil is the poorest of all creatures. Jesus Christ saith, that it is better to give then to receive; intimating thereby, that it is better for a man to give what he hath, then to ask what he hath not; For he that gives, imitates God, who gives always, but receives never. Liberality is always better than indigence: It is more commendable to give then to receive an alms. And certainly, he that blames riches as evil in their own nature, blames God, who is the Author of them, and distributes them as it pleaseth him. God oftentimes exhorts his people of Israel to piety by the promises of temporal good things. And Solomon ask of him Wisdom only, he gave him riches also, without parallel.  
St James indeed saith, that God hath chosen the poor; but he adds, that are rich in faith. For the happiness of these Poor consists not in their being poor, but in their being rich in faith. Thus must we understand what Jesus Christ saith in the sixth Chapter of St. Luke, Blessed be ye poor. For that which makes a poor man happy, is not his poverty, but the manner of supporting his poverty. There be rich men that are very virtuous; and poor men that are very wicked, whom poverty excites to theft, murder, perjury, etc. And therefore Agur, in the Thirtieth Chapter of the Proverbs, desires of God, not to send him poverty. The Soul of poor Lazarus is carried by Angels into the bosom of rich Abraham. So that the poor and rich are put together, to teach us, that rich as well as poor are received into the Kingdom of God, if they fear and serve him according to his word.  
It is true indeed, that riches do corrupt many, and serve only to puff them up with pride, to inflame their lusts, and to divert their hearts from trusting in God, to trust in their riches. And this is the reason why Jesus Christ saith that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God: But this evil proceeds not from riches, but from those that abuse them, into whose lap riches falling are corrupted, as a Crown is defiled that falls into a puddle, and in whose hands the goods of this world are like a sword in the hands of a madman. We must not believe that Jesus Christ in the 16th. Chapter of St. Luke calls riches unrighteous, because there is any unrighteousness in the possessing of them, or because they are gotten by unrighteous means, but because they are either provocations, or instruments of unrighteousness, to those that are destitute of the fear of God.   

CHAP. XXIV. Of the vow of poverty, and of idle begging: Also of works, and satisfactions of supererogation.  
THere are two sorts of poverty: one which God sends, and another to which men do voluntarily devote themselves without Gods sending it unto them. The former is an affliction, the other is a direct profession, which some choose, as supposing it of great merit, and a work of supererogation. There be some poor, whom God hath reduced to a low estate, wherein they get a slender livelihood by the labour of their hands: who, if they be contented with their conditions, and by serving God with a pure Conscience, do aspire to better riches, viz. the heavenly, they are happy, and beloved of God, and truly rich. There be others, whom God bereaves of their estates for the profession of the Gospel, who, although they have not purposely drawn poverty on themselves, yet, if they bear this yoke patiently and joyfully, esteeming it an honour to bear the Cross of Christ, their poverty may be said to be voluntary, because they voluntarily follow the call of God. Of ●●ese Jesus Christ speaks in the ninth chapter of St. Matthew, Who have left ●ather, mother, wife, children, or lands ●or his sake; God having reduced them ●o such a necessity, that they cannot keep ●heir estates without forsaking the pro●ession of the Gospel. In this case, ●e must lay down our very lives, to ●ive our souls; and must be prodigal of ●ur estate to be niggardly of our salvation.  
But there is an affected poverty, which some embrace, by vow, and without any necessity, or God's obliging of them thereunto; who may keep their estates with a good conscience, but yet had ra●her leave them to live by other men's estates, and had rather beg than work. This poverty is a yoke which God imposeth not on them, but they impose it on themselves. They bear not Christ's cross, but their own. They leave the exercise of charity, upon pretence of humility and patience. It may be said, that they are like the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, and yet their father the Pope, feeds them plentifully: for w● see, that those who have vowed poverty are fat, and plump; and though they ar● poor in particular, yet are they rich i● common. They get more by begging thou the common people do by working▪ Many turn Monks in spite, or to shak● off the yoke of their parents, or in a Melancholy and desperate humour, or to defraud their creditors, who press hard upon them, or because they will not take pains to work, or have not wherewith to subsist at home. They turn beggars, that they may not be poor. They are poor by vow, for fear of being so by necessity. Wherefore Bellarmine speaks very gracefully, 
●h. de Mona●his cap. 46. secunda.  when he saith, That to these begging Monks belongs that saying of Jesus Christ, in the nineteenth Chapter of St. Matthew, Centuplum accipiet, etc. That is, He shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life.  
But when our adversaries call begging a a work of supererogation, they do thereby acknowledge, that God commands it not. The Prophets, and Apostles never vowed poverty, neither were they beggars. Those of them who were poor, were not ●o by vow, but by necessity, which God imposed on them. 
Joh. 21.3. Joh. 19.27. Phil. 4.16  The Apostles had ●heir Fishing Vessels after our Lord's Resurrection; And St. John had his house. ●t. Paul received with thankfulness the relief which the Philippians sent him: Being at Corinth, he got his living by making of Tents, choosing rather to work ●han to beg; For he well knew, that begging is a shameful thing, and that it makes men both idle and impudent. He ●hat leaves his own estate, to eat another man's bread, hath no reason to say to God, Give us this day our daily bread; For God might answer him, I gave thee ●herewith to buy bread, but thou hast despised it; And now by thy begging, thou takest from them that are ●eally poor, those Alms which are due 〈◊〉 them.  
And so far is begging from being a work of supererogation, and better than what God commands in his Law, that, ●n the contrary, God will have us prevent it as much as we can, 
Omnino non erit indigiens & mendicus inter vos.  saying in Deut. chap 15. verse. 4. To the end that there ●ay be no poor among you. The Hebrew word signifies a Beggar, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and the Vulgar translation so renders it. Not that it is 〈◊〉 sin to beg, when a man hath no other wa● of subsistence: But God commands, th● rich so to relieve the poor, that they ma● not be constrained to beg.  
The Scripture often speaks of begging as an evil, and a punishment, yea, a curse In the seven and thirtieth Psalm, Davi● saith, I have been young, and now am ol● yet have I not seen the righteous forsake● nor his seed begging bread. And in th● 109. Psalm he makes this imprecation Let his Children be vagabonds, and beg He speaks indeed of involuntary poverty but there is no likelihood, that that whic● is a curse to some, can be a blessing t● others; and that which to one is a grievous affliction, can be to another a hol● Profession.  
As for examples, we have already see the description which Lucian and Apuleius give of the Priests of the Syrian goddess, who did whip themselves, and beg To which we shall add the Massali● Heretics, 
Epiphan. haeret. 80. cap. 3.  of whom Epiphanius saith they went about begging, as not having wherewith to subsist, neither possessing an● thing.  
Examine Antiquity, and try if you can find so much as one example of Monks that made begging a Profession. There was no such thing as a Profession of beggary, for about welve hundred years after the nativity of our Lord. Camus, Bishop of Bellay, who is yet living, hath written a great book of the labours of Monks; in the Preface whereof you shall find these words; The ulcer of idleness is crept into Monasteries, under the name of holy und meritorious beggary. His whole book is employed to prove that Monks should be obliged to labour with their hands, especially those that do not preach, nor have any other painful employment in the Church: So far is he from placing beggary amongst those pieces of perfection, whereby God is made a debtor to man. And this Prelate's book bears in its front, the Approbation of the Doctors of the faculty of Theology of Paris. St. Augustine hath written a book De opere Monachorum, wherein he obligeth them to labour. Epiphanius teacheth the same, in the Heresy of the Massalians; where, he saith, that in all the Monasteries of Egypt, the Monks did labour with their hands, even as Bees do labour to make honey and wax. In those days the Monks were poor Hermits, living in deserts, labouring with their hands to get their living, and carrying their workmanship to the neighbouring Towns to sell, bought bread with the money: They did not beg the approbation of their Rule from the Bishop of Rome, for they were not subject to him; In a word, they were not at all like the Monks now adays. The same Epiphanius, in the same book, condemns those that live an idle life, and making a profession of begging, get their bread at rich men's Tables.  
But to complete their wickedness, the mendicant Friars make begging a work of supererogation, that is, better than what God commands in his Law, and consequently, better than to love God with all our hearts, and our neighbour as ourselves. God commands us to serve him with all our strength, so that the Monks serve God with more than all their strength, which is impossible. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, David, etc. never did works of supererogation. The perfection of the Angels consists in obeying God, and not in doing more than he commands. Jesus Christ himself came into the world only to do the will of his Father, and not to do more than his will. Ask the most devout Capucin, if he never commits sin; and he will tell you, that he is a poor sinner: How do these things agree? They do not that which God commands, and yet will do more than he commands! They fail in necessary things, and yet strive to do things unnecessary, and which God requires not! They do not what they ought, and do what they ought not! They are more holy than God would have them to be!  
That man is crackbraind, who exerciseth liberality when he hath not wherewith to pay his debts: If this be so in reference to men, how much more in reference to God? It is an extreme pride, to endeavour to give God overplus, and more than we own him.  
In a word, I would know whether the Monks, when they do works of supererogation, do the will of God, or their own will. If they do the will of God, they are obliged thereunto, and do what they ought: But if, by doing better things than those which God commands, they do their own will, it follows that their will is better than the will of God.  
Out of this same shop of pride, come those superabundant satisfactions, whereby the Monks would make us believe, that they suffer more punishment, and do more penance, than their sins deserve, and that the Pope gathers this overplus into his Treasury, and distributes it by his Indulgences in payment for the sins of others. The Monks believe, that by whipping themselves, by fasting and going barefoot, they expiate the sins of others: Wherefore Bellarmine saith, 
Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. r. 4. s. sex.  that the Saints are, in some sense, our Redeemers. The Legends of Saint Dominick and Saint Antonine, say, that Saint Dominick, a grand emulator of the holiness of Saint Francis, lashed himself three times a day with an iron chain, viz. Once for his own sins, which were very small, once for the sins of the living, and once for the sins of those souls which are in Purgatory, who (no doubt) received much ease thereby. And it is this same Saint, that once had mercy on the devil: for the devil having transformed himself into a Sparrow, and Saint Dominick catching him, contented himself only with pulling off the feathers from his head, whereas it was in his power to have wrung off his neck.  
By these things God is blasphemed: For such things are attributed to God, which if a man should do, he would be accounted either wicked, or mad. For, what Judge would not be accounted unjust, or out of his wits, who should let a malefactor go, because his neighbour hath whipped himself for him? But things which are ridiculous in civil society, are esteemed good in religion; as if a man must lose common sense to augment piety.  
All this abuse proceeds from this, viz. that men, utterly destitute of the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, which are to them a book sealed, and altogether unknown, seek other satisfactions, and other payments for sin, than the death and passion of Jesus Christ. For seeing Jesus Christ hath fully satisfied God's justice, to what purpose are others satisfactions presented to him? Is not this to accuse God of injustice, to pretend that he takes two payments for one debt, when the first is sufficient? Is it not to dishonour that most perfect satisfaction, which Jesus Christ hath accomplished for us, to join it with the whip and austerities of Monks; which is just as if a man should mingle coals and diamonds together? For Pope Clement the VI in his Extravagant Unigenitus, saith, that the merits of the Virgin Mary, and of the other Saints, do help to complete the treasure of the benefits of Jesus Christ; giving us to understand, that the benefits of Jesus Christ make but bare measure; but that the addition of the Saints merits makes heaped measure, and is an addition to the merits of Jesus Christ. And for this reason, the Priest in the Mass prays for salvation, not only through the Saint's intercession, but also through their merits.  
The Lord God, take pity on so many poor people involved in so many abuses, and discover the deceit of those who, being themselves notorious sinners, do yet by a proud humility think to expiate the sins of others.   

CHAP. XXV. Of the Fraternity of the Cord. 
* Printed at Roven by Tho. Daré, in the Jews street, near the Palace, anno 1614  An Extract of a Book, entitled The Treasure of the Indulgences of St. Francis 's Cord, translated out of Italian into French: And of the Canonization of St. Francis, and Ignatius de Loyola.  
THe Fraternity of St. Francis' Cord, is a Society of superstitiously devout people, both Men and Women, and as well Clergymen as Laymen: Into which Fraternity they who enter, are obliged to certain Observations, and for a Badge of the Fraternity wear a Cord, in imitation of the Cord which St. Francis wore, and do participate of all the Merits and Satisfactions of those of the said Fraternity. They who have the least of merit, do, for all that, as really partake of the merits of the others, as if they were their own: They lend their merits to each other; and he that is asleep, or at dinner, participates of the merits of him that whips himself, or of him that turns over the consecrated Beads of his Chaplet seven times.  
The Fraternity of Saint Francis' Cord hath great Privileges, and the Popes have granted it great Indulgences. These privileges have been set down in writing by divers, but especially by Antonio Brugneto, an Italian Observantin Monk, whose very words in the 104. page are these;  
The most glorious Father Francis, a little before his death, obtained of God the Creator three Privileges, as the defunct Pope Gregory reports them from St. Francis his own mouth, viz.  
The first is, That as the number of Monks should increase, so should all things necessary be provided for them by the Divine Providence.  
The second, That whosoever shall wear the Habi● of his Order, shall not die unfortunately.  
The third, That whosoever shall persecute the Religion of his Order, his days shall be short, and his end miserable.  
Moreover, the most glorious Father Francis, a little before his death, revealed to a certain Monk (who is worthy of credit) that he had obtained three other Privileges of our Creator, when he appeared to him in the likeness of a Seraphin, and left the impression of the holy Marks on him.  
The first is, That the profeffion of his Monks should continue until the end of the world.  
The second, That whosoever shall live well in his Order, shall live a long time in it.  
The third, That whosoever shall hearty love his Order, how great a sinner soever he be, shall find mercy from God, if so be he turns from his evil ways.  
The same Author in the 109. page hath these words;  
First, Pope Clement the Fourth hath granted to those men, who on their deathbeds shall desire to be clad in the Habit of St. Francis his Order; and to those women who shall desire to be clad in the Habit of St. Clare, and to be buried in it, the pardon of the third part of their sins.  
This same Indulgence was granted them by Pope Nicolas the Third, and by Pope Urban the Fifth.  
Moreover, Pope Leo the Tenth, confirming the said Concessions, adds by way of overplus, That they who should die in this Habit of St. Francis, or St. Clare, and should be buried therein, should have a plenary Indulgence for all their sins.  
And in the 95. page;  
Moreover, on Olive-Saturday, on the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, and on the other Feast of St. John Port-Latine, (Pope Sixtus the Fifth,) he hath granted to those of the Fraternity, who shall on such days rehearse the seven Penitentiary Psalms, the redemption of one Soul out of Purgatory.  
As for the Indulgence granted (as the Minor Friars say) by Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary, and confirmed by the Pope at Nostre Dame des Anges, called Portiuncula; the Rosary of Bernardin, and the aforesaid book of the Indulgences of the Cord, and the Chronicle of St. Francis, say, that St. Francis would not have the Pope's Bull for confirmation of the said Indulgence: For (saith he) I have the glorious Virgin, and Jesus Christ for Notaries, and the Angels for Witnesses. This Indulgence is to be had on the second day of August, whereby every one who hath been confessed, and is contrite, and shall then go into the Church of Nostre Dame des Anges, shall obtain a plenary absolution both of sin, and punishment. If this same person should go into any other Church with the like or greater contrition, he should not have the same Indulgence. It is worth our notice, that St. Francis obtained this Indulgence of Pope Honorius, by presenting him with three red Roses in the Winter.  
But Pope Sixtus the Fifth, who was a Cordelier, hath abundantly heaped up Indulgences, plenary, more plenary, and most plenary, (as they Phrase it) on the Order of the Minor Friars, and upon the Fraternity of St. Francis' Cord.  
But of all these Indulgences, of three, or four hundred thousand years, the Jesuits make little reckoning, and have never much troubled themselves about procuring any of them from the Pope; esteeming their own Order, although barren in pardons, and Indulgences, better than that of the Minor Friars.  
However, in one respect the Cordeliers, and Capucins surpass the Jesuits, (viz.) in that St. Francis was Canonised by the Pope immediately after his death, without the least difficulty: But as for Ignatius Loyola, the founder and Patron of the Jesuits, who died Anno Domini 1556, the Jesuits were above seventy years soliciting in the Court of Rome, to obtain from the Pope that he might be put into the number of the Saints; and at last, with great difficulty, obtained his Canonization, seventy years after his death. So long did the sanctity of Ignatius hang in suspense; which, no doubt, was the cause of great trouble, and perplexity to him. However this future Saint, during all this waiting, received some consolation; For, some years before his Canonization he was Beatified, which is a forerunner of Canonization.  
At last the Pope having received more clear and certain proofs of the holiness of Ignatius, put him into the Catalogue of the Saints, and ordained that he should be invoked in the Church of Rome; which had not been lawful during those seventy years that past betwixt Ignatius his death and Canonization.  
But as in the Chapels, and Colleges of the Jesuits you shall see few Images of St. Francis; so in the Convents, a●● Churches of the Capucins it is a very rar● thing to see the image of St. Ignatiu● For the Capucins believe, that St. Franc●● hath more credit in the Court of heaven and that he is exalted above the Cherubins.   
FINIS.